SALT-WATEK FISHERIES OF NORWAY. 679 



On general principles, the above-mentioned view seems to be entirely 

 justified and logical. There is no doubt that if the lobster is let alone 

 during the hatching-season a number of young ones will be produced 

 large enough to compensate, uuder favorable circumstances, for all the 

 lobsters which are caught. It is, therefore, only right that the lobster 

 should be, as much as possible, protected during the hatching-season. 

 It is likewise possible that reckless fishing during the hatching-season 

 will hinder the increase of the lobsters. It must be remembered, how- 

 ever, that there are many other disturbing causes. I have already on 

 another occasion showu that the young lobster during the first period 

 of its life is exposed to many dangers, and that probably a large num- 

 ber perish on account of untavorable influences during their develop- 

 ment. If, therefore, in spite of protective measures a decrease in the 

 quantity of lobsters has been observed in various places, it must not be 

 supposed that the only cause of it is lack of protection or too short a 

 season of protection. The season of protection is, in my opinion, correct 

 on the whole, and if I now consider it best to set it a little earlier, viz, 

 to begin the 1st July, I do this from another reason, viz, out of regard 

 to the change of shell of the lobster, which begins during the first 

 days of this month. The lobster is at that time entirely unfit for trans- 

 portation, and many die even in ihe boxes. I believe that if the lobster 

 is thoroughly protected during the months of July and August, there 

 will be some guarantee at least that a sufficient number of young ones 

 are produced to make up for all losses occasioned by the lobster-fisheries 

 during the other months of the year. 



But no laws and no protective measure can change the unfavorable 

 physical conditions which have caused a decrease of the lobsters on cer- 

 tain portions of our coast. The oidy means to be employed under such 

 circumstances is the artificial raising of lobsters. I shall have occasion 

 to return to this point, and merely to avoid misconception, I will say 

 here that I consider a reasonably arranged protection of the lobster 

 not only desirable, but also necessary; but the protective measures 

 should be somewhat uniform in the different districts. At any rate, on 

 that portion of the coast which I visited, I found but very little differ- 

 ence both with regard to the time of hatching and the time when the 

 lobsters change shell ; so there is no reason for having a different sea- 

 son of protection in these districts. But as memorials have been sent 

 to the department of the interior from several places asking for an 

 extension of the protective season, it will probably be best, in order 

 to avoid dissatisfaction, to leave it to each community to extend the 

 season of protection wherever there is a very general demand for exten- 

 sion. But I must say that if protection is to answer its purpose, it 

 will be necessary for the different districts to organize a system of 

 superintendence, so the laws may be strictly carried out. As matters, 

 are now, there is — and I speak from personal observation — as much 

 fishing going on on our southern coast during the season of protection. 



