612 



REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



[21 



but even surpasses tlie catch of the year 1877, which, until now, was the 

 largest known. The fishery in the Loffoden inspection district yielded 

 27,500,000, while in 1879 26,300,000 were caught there, and the aver- 

 age annual catch from 1 869 to 1878 was about 21,800,000, with, how- 

 ever, a maximum in 1877 of 28,400,000. The fat herring fisheries, which 

 ever since 1876 have been decreasing, and which in 1879 did not yield 

 more than 443,000 hectoliters [1,257,012^ bushels], increased greatly in 

 1880, and yielded not less than 720,000 hectoliters [2,043,000 bushels]. 

 Of this amount 440,000 hectoliters [1,248,500 bushels] were taken in 

 Loffoden and Vesteraalen inspection districts alone, and the great 

 majority of these — about 420,000 hectoliters [1,191,750 bushels] — were 

 caught in Eidsijord. 



For information concerning the prices of fish at the fishing stations 

 is given the following tabular synopsis : 



Cod fisheries (excepting •with capelin) per 1,000 round fish . . 



Capelin fishery (for cod) do . 



Fat herring per hectoliter*.. 



Sprat and other small herring fishery do 



Spring herring fishery do 



Mackerel fishery per 1,000- round fish.. 



Salmon and sea trout fishery per kilogram t.. 



Lohster fishery per 1,000.. 



Oyster fishery per hectoliter*.. 



$84 15 

 52 26 



1 54 



1 49 



30 82 



2» 



J 79 86 



*One hectoliter equals 2 bushels, 3.35 pecks, or 26.417 wine gallons. 

 tOne kilogram equals 2.2046 pounds avoirdupois. 

 t In the years 1876-78. 



The number of men engaged in the fisheries in 1880 was as follows : 

 The capelin fishery (for cod) emploj^ed 17,084 men against 18,996 in 

 1879, and 14,200 on the average during the years 1870-1878. In the 

 remaining cod fisheries 63,357 fishermen took part; the number in 1879 

 was 64,593, and in the decade 1869-1878 the average was about 52,000. 

 In the fat herring fisheries 35,130 fishermen were engaged this year as 

 against 32,476 in 1879. During the years 1876-'78, on the contrary, the 

 number of these fishermen was as high as 41,000. 



The average catch which fell to each fisherman for the year 1880^ 

 compared with 1879, was as follows. 



Fish yield. 



Cod fisheries (except with capelin) 



Capelin fishery (for cod) 



Fat herring fishery bushels . 



Mackerel fishery with drag nets 



Quantity per i Money value 

 man. per man. 



1880. 1879. 



707 



1,376 



58 



1,618 



708 



923 



38.8 



1,948 



$41 81 

 41 81 

 43 68 

 52 53 



$46 36 

 34 57 

 31 8& 



53 42 



In conclusion, several tables, compiled principally from trade statis- 

 tics, are given, which show the exportation of fish products since 1856 

 and the prices obtained for them during the years 1871-1880. 



Christiania, September 29, 1882. 



