SEA-FISHERIES OF THE LAN OF GOTEBORG AND BOHUS. 745 



lowers, viz, whale of larger or smaller species, and innumerable swarms 

 of sea-birds. It was remarked that the Gannet or "Sillbaf;," iSula bas- 

 mna, properly belonging to the Scotch fisheries, but exceedingly com- 

 mon here during previous great-herring fisheries, did not this time ap- 

 pear here. Every one of the birds that followed the herring belonged to 

 some Scandinavian species or variety. 



Up to January 9 the herring schools had not changed positions, but 

 after that day the great-herring had left the inner fjords and could no- 

 where be caught in the nets within the district of Stromstad. Only north 

 of Hafsten Sound a smaller school remained. 



The herring not C)nly went for deeper water, but they altogether aban- 

 doned the locality. Thus it was noticed that the herring, like a current, 

 i-ushed out through the shallow Koster Sound, and the " herring-indi- 

 cators '" — whales and birds — showed that the schools were drawing out 

 in the deep Koster Fjord, and under the group of islands off the fjord. 

 The same was the fact in the Wiidero Fjord, though the herring still was 

 standing at the outer islets, and in the sounds of Floro, Hastvom, and 

 Dyngo. 



In the second week of January the herring occupied about the same 

 position as in the middle of December, one month earlier. The fisheiy 

 was thus limited to only a few localities, almost before it had regularly 

 commenced, and when piu-chasers arrived, and the salting began, the 

 herring was just drawing out. The supply, however, was so large at 

 places where herring still remained, that it was quite sufficient for all. 

 But the largest and best herring was gone, and all what now was ob- 

 tained was a poor, immature, and lean herring. 



On the 14th of January the herring was found only among the outer 

 skerries, extending about 1^ mil within the district of FjeUbacka, be- 

 sides a small ingress, which, on the 10th, had been noticed at Hallo, 

 north of Mahno. Nothing but lodd-herring remained in the fjords. 

 Forty -two seines were in use in the fishery in the district of FjeUbacka. 

 Herring was salted in 26 steamers and 10 sailing-vessels, used as hulks, 

 while smaller craft and boats were engaged in the transportation of her- 

 ring to railway stations and salteries. 



On January 22, great-hening was again noticed at Styrso and Salto, 

 district of Stromstad, and the herring remained fourteen days among 

 the skerries that extend from the said islands down to Hafsten Sound. 



On the 25th, herring also was discovered at the inner islets near 

 Fjellbacka. A lock was closed around 2,100 barrels of great-herring at 

 Valo, the market price of the day making this quantity equivalent to 

 $2,197.80. Also, some smaller throws with seines were made in the same 

 "steg," which is supposed to have been the "tail" of the larger schools 

 which had been standing farther south and now were drawing seaward 

 through the inner northern sounds. Of this "tail" some herring was 

 caught off Grebbestad as late as February 20. The fishery continued 

 undiminished in the outer skerries, and the district of FjeUbacka until 



