SALT-WATKR FISHERIES OF NORWAY. G73 



ing. Like all pelagiau fi«h, it then goes out to sea, wbile during tbe 

 first two years of its life it roams about in tbe neigbborbood ol tbe 

 coast. 



Immediately prior to and during tbe spawning ])rocess tbe mackerel 

 are generally very restless and roam about in dense sebools (males and 

 females togetber) in different directions near tbe coast and so near tbe 

 surface tbat tbey can be seen from quite a distance by tbe curly appear- 

 ance of tbe "water. Tbe schools always go against tbe stream and are live- 

 liest wben a fresb breeze is blowing. Tbe natural cause wby tbe mackerel 

 enters tbe nets easier at tbis season tban later is tbis, tbat it is com- 

 pletely taken up by tbe spawning process, and by no means detective 

 sight. Wben tbe spawning process is finished, the schools begin to 

 scatter and gradually go out to sea again. Tbe fish will then not enter 

 the net so readily, although tbey will bite a baited book, because they 

 have scarcely taken any food during spawning, and are, consequently, 

 very hungry. 



Concerning the general mode of life of the mackerel many incredible 

 things have been said. One of these fabulous reports is this, that mack- 

 erel, like sharks, attack men swimming or bathing in tbe water, and 

 that if their number is very large they will overcome even the strongest 

 man. Tbe improbability of tbis report, which is very generally believed, 

 is self-evident. A close examination of the mackerel will convince any 

 one that it cannot possibly hurt a man. Its jaws are too weak and its 

 teeth too fine. To smaller fish and marine animals, however, it may cer- 

 tainly prove a dangerous enemy. I l^ave several times observed the 

 greedy manner in which mackerel scarcely a finger long have chased 

 j-oung herring and decimated their schools. It will be seen from this 

 tbat the grown mackerel must be a very dangerous enemy to tbe young 

 herring; and jjersonal observations have convinced me tbat tbis is 

 really the case. On this circumstance the so-called autumn-mackerel 

 fisheries are based, which are carried on in tbe deep fiords long after tbe 

 tin>e when the great mass of mackerel have left the coast. Tbe so- 

 called autumn-mackerel are schools which have separated from the chief 

 school, which instead of going out to sea have commenced to chase the 

 small herring and followed them into the deep fiords where they remain 

 as long as they find sufficient food. Tbe fatness of tbe autumn-mackerel 

 is caused by its rich food, generally consisting of small herring, but also 

 of other small pelagian animals. As soon as tbis food begins to get 

 scarce the mackerel gradually disappear and go out to sea again, and 

 toward winter it is merely accidental if mackerel are caught on hooks 

 with other fit^b. Tbat tbe autumn- mackerel later in autumn generally 

 goes deeper than the summer-mackerel, is easily explained by tbe cir- 

 cumstance that there is so much freshwater near the surface in our fiords, 

 and likewise by the change in the temperature of the surface-water. 

 But tbe mackerel will never be found constantly near tbe bottom like 

 flounders and other bottom-fish, but always some distance from it. 

 43 F 



