[63J THE LOFFODEN FISHERY IN 1880. 595 



Nets were first used January 16 by four boats, which caught 100 cod. 

 In February there was occasional good sea weather, as on the 7th, when 

 the average catch was 300, and from the 14th to the 21st. During the 

 remaining time the fishing was poor, except from March 8 to the 21st, 

 when it became good — in part excellent. On the last-named day the 

 nets took as high as 1,400; on the next sea-going day, April 5, 50-1,200, 

 being an average of 300 ; on the Gth, on the contrary, from none to 150. 



The deep-bait and day-line fishing in February were somewhat better 

 than in the districts previously named. In the plentiful period, from 

 March 8 to 31, there were, however, some days, for instance, the 20th, 

 27th, and 31st, on which the fishing with this apparatus was poor, though 

 the other implements did well. 



Eopen. — Trawl-lines were first used on the 7th of January with a catch 

 of 100 cod. During the rest of the month the catch varied from 20 and 

 30 to 150. From the Gth of February to the end of March, the trawl-line 

 fishing was uniformly good, often excellent, if we except certain days 

 in the beginning of the last-named month. Thus on the first of March 

 the average catch was 350 fish ; from the second to the fourth, on the 

 contrary, only from 7l> to 100, whereupon the fishing became uniformly 

 good again, sometimes excellent. 



Four nets were first used January 22, and took from 8 to 150 fish. 

 In January and the first half of February the fishing was irregular, 

 mostly poor; during the rest of the month, on the other hand, though 

 generally irregular, it was mostly good. From March 8 to 31 it was 

 uniformly good, though not so excellent as in the more easterly stations. 



Deep-bait and day-line fishing, with occasional short interruptions, 

 were next best from the middle of February to the close of March. 



The rare occurrence on January 30 is stated of a great school of 

 large and small coal-fish {Merlangus carbonarius) inside of " Bikja." 



Henningsvcer. — Four lines were set for the first time January 8. They 

 were hauled on the 10th, when the highest catch was 150. In Feb- 

 ruary the fishing increased and continued uniformly good, especially at 

 the close of the month, until the middle of March, whereupon it be- 

 came irregular, mostly poor. In April it increased again, and remained 

 quite good until the middle of the month, when it ceased. 



Nets were hauled for the first time, January 22, with a catch of 40 cod ; 

 the second time, January 28, with a catch of 250 cod. As the line fish- 

 ing increased in February, so also did the net fishing, but the latter was 

 more uniform. The best fishing occurred at the end of February and 

 ill the beginning of March. From the middle of March to the close of 

 the fishery it was, with some exceptions, rather irregular and mostly 

 poor. 



Day-line and deep bait fishing became good, sometimes very good, at 

 the end of February and the beginning of Marcli. The rest of the 

 time they were poor, and ceased in some places entirely from the middle 

 of March, when the majority of the boats shifted eastward. 



Gimsostrommen. — Fishing was good here from the middle of Feb- 



