708 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



in 1627, 1G28, aDtl 1629, the suffering was extreme, the cod Laving failed 

 completely. There are also periodical variations in the richness of the 

 jield. During a stormy winter tempests have succeeded in injuring the 

 fisheries more or less, and at certain points the fishermen will tell 

 you of periodical migrations of the cod from one bay or ledge to an- 

 other, but tradition has never told us that the cod has at any period 

 whatever ceased to visit the coasts of Norway ; on the contrary, one 

 may consider as assured the great fisheries of the Loffoden Islands and 

 Soudmore ; this is more than can be said of the spring herring. 



The cod is found all along the coast, but the best places for its capture 

 are found in certain special regions. These, as before remarked, are 

 I)riucipally the Loffoden Islands and Soudmore, but the cod occur in 

 other i)laces in such quantity that they ought to be mentioned also. We 

 may therefore mention the entire coast of East and West Finmark, where 

 sometimes the fishing is as abundant as in the Loffoden Islands, especially 

 when their favorite food, the capelau, {Malotus arcticus) occurs in abun- 

 dance along the coast; several points off" the coast of Helgeland, and the 

 two prefectures of Droutheim, from Biono to the mouth of the Gulf of 

 Drontheim, on which points, however, the fishing is of less importance, 

 a large part of the population prelerring the Loffoden Islands; and 

 finally the coast of Nordmore and Eomsdal. Formerly, the cod was 

 sought more to the south, even beyond the coast of Jaederen, and 

 especially toward Skudesuaes, as far as Bergen, but the product of this 

 fishery has diminished gradually since 1796, and it may be said to have 

 entirely ceased since the return of the spring herring; it appears, 

 however, to have increased again since 1869, the epoch when the spring 

 herring again diminished. 



At the Loffoden Islands fishing is not generally in operation until the 

 beginning of February. 



The cod, haviug passed the extremity of the group of the Loffoden 

 Islands, press in innumerable legions between Moskenaes and Vaero, 

 or between Vaero and Kost, to get into the Vestfjord. They follow this 

 fjord until they meet the coast of Eastern Loffoden, and there fishing is 

 most profitable. Fishing, however, is prosecuted also at the same time 

 more to the west among these islands, where the fish shows itself before 

 reaching the coast, that is, Eastern Loffoden. After this, fishing con- 

 tinues between Moskenaes and the most retired point of Eastern Loffo- 

 den until the 14th of April, the period when all the fish should be hung up 

 for drying, and when the engagements of the hired fishermen generally 

 expire. In general, after this date the fishermen return home, but in 

 Western Loffoden even up to the end of the month, they carry on a sub- 

 sidiary fishery during the retreat of the fish. The product is, however, 

 very meager. -; 



As soon as the Loffoden fisheries close, and, for several years back, 

 before they have entirely ceased, a great part of the fishermen betake 

 themselves to Western Finmark, where at this time the fishing gen- 

 erally commences. In the fisheries of Finmark we must distinguish 



