THE COD FISHERIES NEAR THE LOFFODEN ISLANDS. 581 



become more developed, do tliey make voluntary motions. It is not 

 known what becomes of the large number of young ILsh which are 

 hatched here every year. It can scarcely be supposed that they keep 

 near the land, as the fishermen have never seen any during the spring 

 and summer. It is possible they keep at a considerable distance from 

 the coast, and perhaps they follow their parents to the great deep as 

 soon as they are able to use their fins. 



B— EEPOliT FOE 1865. 



As the Department of the Interior has requested me to report as soon 

 as possible on the practical and scientific investigations of our cod-fish- 

 eries made by me during the present year, so that my report might be 

 laid before the "Storthing" (Norwegian Parliament), I will endeavor 

 to give a brief account of my activity during the last Loflbden fisheries, 

 as well as the short time which I have at my disposal will permit, before 

 I meet the commission at Trondhjem. 



Already during my last sojourn in the Loffoden Islands, I soon became 

 convinced of the difficulty of my task, and likewise of the vast extent 

 of the field for thorough investigations which was opening out before 

 me, and as the whole question had aroused ray deepest interest, even 

 the greatest difficulties have not deterred me, but have on the contrary 

 urged me to do everything in my power to have light thrown into the 

 darkness which is still resting on maiiy portions of the life and nature 

 of the codfish during its sojourn near our coasts. It is my firm convic- 

 tion that a great deal can be done in this direction, although the practi- 

 cal results which should form the ultimate olyect of all these investiga- 

 tions can in the very nature of the case not be obtained immediately. 

 Although the first results will principally benefit science, we must not 

 give up the hope of obtaining practical results. It is certain that most 

 of our modern discoveries have only reached their great importance for 

 practical life by a series of scientific researches ; and it is just ascertain 

 that the practical results which we confidently hope to reach with regard 

 to the question of the cod fisheries will only be fully appreciated when 

 they are based on a firm scientific foundation. 



The first thing to be done is, undoubtedly, to gain a most accurate 

 knowledge of the nature and mode of life of the codfish. Cnly after 

 this knowledge has been gained much of that darkness will disappear 

 which is still resting on the migrations of the codfish; and their seem- 

 ingly irregular appearance now in one place and then in another, their 

 disappearance, their return, &c., will be found to be dependent ou 

 certain fixed laws of nature, which to know beforehand will be of the 

 highest practical interest. 



I have already, during my last sojourn in the Loffoden Islands, given 

 some attention to this matter, endeavoring to get some light, but so far 

 I have not yet obtained that knowledge which is necessary for leading 



