646 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



As my first station I selected Floro, from which place I intended to 

 visit Kinu and the small outer islands in the neighborhood. At Floro 

 my observations were chiefly directed to the young herrings, which I 

 found here in large numbers both near the coast and farther out at sea, 

 where they were chased by different fish of prey, chiefly small mackerel. 

 I had no opportunity, however, to examine the summer-herring, as the 

 fishery had closed before my arrival. On account of the stormy weather 

 I had to abandon my project of visiting the outer fishing-stations near 

 Kinn, and determined instead to visit some points on the Nordfiord, 

 where I knew there had been rich spring-herring fisheries last winter. 

 As I thought Moldo would be the most convenient station for me, 1 went 

 there. From Moldo I made several excursions farther out at sea and 

 along the coast, especially along the south and west coast of the island 

 of Vaagso, where I visited the fishing-stations of Torskangerpollen, Bue- 

 vigen, Hovdevaagen, and Svartteigene, all well known on account of 

 their winter-fisheries. My chief object was, if possible, to throw some 

 light on the following question : " Is it possible that the constant use of 

 fishing-implements during winter (especially the nets now in use) within 

 a limited extent of water causes large masses of dead herriug to lie and 

 rot on the bottom, and thus make the bottom so full of corrujition that 

 it does no longer form a suitable spawning place for tbe following win- 

 ter?" I was all the more eager to investigate this matter, as several 

 men of experience really thought this to be the cause why the herring- 

 fisheries had proven failures in formerly good fishing-places. Although 

 my observations did not positively confirm this view, I nevertheless be- 

 lieve that it is a matter which deserves attention in the future. But as 

 only observations made during the fisheries could lead to certain Je- 

 suits, I do not feel at liberty to express any definite opinion. 



From Moldo I had intended to visit one of the northern stations near 

 Stadthavet, but as the season was far advanced and the weather was 

 very stormy, so that I could not have accomplished much, I had to 

 abandon this trip and conclude my observations for this year. After 

 having staid eight days at Moldo I took the steamer going south on 

 the 18th of September and arrived in Christiania on the 21st. 



After having in the above given a short account of my journey and 

 the plan w^hich I had followed in my investigations, I shall endeavor in 

 the following to give a more detailed account of the more important re- 

 sults and the opinion regarding the herring" and the herring-fisheries to 

 which these results have led me. 



During my stay on board the Hansteen it was m}' chief object to ex- 

 amine the deep basins outside of the herriug district, where it is gen- 

 erally supposed the spring-herrings live during the time they are not 

 near the coast. Such an investigation I considered to be of special im- 

 portance at the present time, as possibly it might furnish some explana- 

 tion of the remarkable decrease of the spring-herring fisheries on our 

 western coast during the last few years, and at the same time give us 



