20 



side of the question; when the fishery laws come eventuall}' to be revised however, 

 this questioii should not be forgotten. 



It was my intention, as mentioned, to follow a plan in these investigations, 

 which would give a positive answer in the course of time, as to whether it would 

 be of use to do this or that, or whether it would be useless, instead of bhndly 

 beginning a series of undertakings, which however long they may be continued, 

 would give no answer (premiums). I believe that I have carried through 

 the plan as well as the circumstances for the present permit. If new 

 moments of importance should appear in the future, the question could always be 

 taken up again; Ave now know a good deal more regarding the whelk question in 

 the Limfjord than before these investigations were begun; thus, we know, that 

 it might well be within the power of the State to extermiuate almost 

 all the Buccinmn in Thisted Bredning in the course of some years, but 

 we also know, that the money would be badly spent, we should rather 

 use a portion of it on more exlensive inplauting of plaice in the Limfjord. As is 

 known, the State has experimentally given out euormous sums for the collection 

 and distruction of the May bugs, with the result that the May bugs have now 

 almost disappeared; but as Professor L E. V. Boas writes in his book on the Maj'^ 

 bug in 1904, their disappearance is not due to their collection, but to the 

 attacks of their natural enemies (bacteria). I believe that we have reason 

 to hope, that the same will happen with the whelks (Konkylierne) in the Limfjord. 



I have very often pointed out, that man can do much to reduce the 

 numbers of a species in the sea, and can also often luanage to make their numbers 

 very few, e. g. the prawu in Denmark. But what has this cost, both in work 

 and money? — In the good years for the prawn in the Limfjord in 1895 and 96, 

 the value of the traps and purse-nets amounted to ca. 50,000 Kr.; the 

 value of the boats and the work is not included; but hundreds of fishermen were 

 occupied in the fishery. When so much energy is being used, much eau be done; 

 it succeeded; in 2 — 3 years the prawn became more scarce, and is so still; it 

 paid the expense with 70 — 80,000 Kroner per annum, and between 100 and 200 

 thousand pounds were fished yearly of these animals in the Limfjord; and the 

 fight against the few remaining still contiuues whenever the opportunity presents 

 itself. I certainly believe that it would be much easier to reduce the numbers 

 of the whelks in the Limfjord; but I must consider the sums necessary for this 

 purpose as badly used, — at any rate, so long as no new, unknown moments 

 appear, which might considerably facilitatB the fishing and reduce the expense. 



