720 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES, 



Besides the real cod, many fish belcugiug to the species of the same 

 family are caught every summer aud autumu upon the west coast, 

 though their importance would be much greater if prosecuted in a more 

 rational manner, and the product satisfactorily utilized. 



The principal species coming under this head is the green cod, or 

 gade-sey, or pollack {Gaclus virens). When less than a year old the sey 

 bears the name of '' mort,^^ and is caught upon the west coast of i^or- 

 way, and, above all, between Stavanger and Cape Stat, in innumerable 

 quantities. 



The pollack-fishing is carried on in three different ways: 



1. By the line. The fish is attracted to the vicinity of the hook by 

 throwing in the water a bait composed of mussels and crabs cut up very 

 fine. While the fish is amusing itself in picking up these bits it per- 

 ceives the baited hook, and bites at it in preference. This method is 

 especially characteristic of the vicinity of Bergen. 



2. By trailing behind a boat one or two lines with baited hooks. 



3. But the special and habitual manner of catching the mort con- 

 sists in placing upon the shoal bottom (it is there always that this 

 method is prosecuted) a round-bottomed net in the form of a bag 

 attached by the upper part to a large hoop of 2 to 3 yards in diameter. 

 This net or glip being let down by the aid of a pulley, they throw 

 above it bait cut up fine, and raise the bag by the pulley when a swarm 

 of mort have been attracted to it. The product of this fishery is very 

 variable, but sometimes twenty-five and more are caught in a single 

 cast. Mort is eaten in the country, fresh or salt. 



At the age of one, two, and three years, the sey or pollack takes the 

 name of pale, and furnishes an esteemed article of food. Its liver 

 gives good oil. It is at the age of four years that the fish becomes 

 sey gris {Grdsey, in Sweden), and takes its full importance in the fish- 

 eries. It is met on the whole coast, but in schools less considerable 

 than the true cod. It is a very voracious fish, and consumes an 

 enormous quantity of herring, especially when these are in the form 



of fry. 



The sey is caught especially in Eastern Finmark, Nordland, Sond- 

 more, the fiords of Bergen and Ryfylke ; and is taken in every possible 

 fashion. It is very easily caught, sometimes being captured from the 

 shore with hooks. It is also taken by jerking up quickly a baited line. 

 Finally, and above all, it is caught with seines, especially when it is 

 enjoying itself among swarms of herring newly hatched. An ingenious 

 process for catching the pollack with seines was invented in Soudmore, 

 and is employed in Finmark and Nordland as well. This fish, in fact, 

 always seeks the bottom as soon as it perceives the net. It is on a larger 

 scale"^ the same process as that employed for taking the mort, or young 

 pollack. A large, square net is let down to the bottom, and its four 

 corners attached by cords to as many boats. When the sey comes 

 aboTe the net, as soon as it perceives it, it makes for the bottom, and 



