WIDEGEEN MANAGEMENT OF THE BALTIC FISHERY. 129 



spawniDg-season of the herring, but onJy nse them in autumn and 

 winter, when the herring -visits the deep waters of the inner bays. Fish- 

 ing with nets having large meshes may, however, be carried on at every 

 season of the year. 



On the coasts of SkSne, Bleking, and Gottland the herrings are not 

 caught with stationary nets, but with so-called floating nets, which 

 method of fishing is in many respects very advantageous, for which rea- 

 son I shall briefly describe it. 



After the usual number of nets, 27 to 30, have been well arranged and 

 placed in a boat furnished with all the necessary api)aratus and provis- 

 ions, three men enter the boat and go out to sea. The time for leaving 

 the shore depends on the wind and on the distance from land at which 

 the herring is just then supposed to be, because the nets should be cast 

 during dusk. When the casting is to begin the sail is lowered, one mau 

 places himself at the prow, another in the middle, and the third at the 

 stern of the boat. The one at the prow takes hold of the oars and rows 

 with the -vvind, the one in the middle loosens the floats and the weights, 

 and the one at the stern casts the net. In this manner the whole net gets 

 in the water with the ^exception of one end, which is hanging over the 

 edge of the boat. To the last loop of the net a weight is attached by a 

 rope of a certain measured length, with its float, which is thrown out, 

 and then the whole net is carefully laid while the boat is rowed forward. 

 When the first net has been set, the second one is taken, the loops are 

 joined by a strong knot, to which again a weight and float are fastened, 

 and this is continued until all the nets have been set, in such a manner 

 that the largest floats are in the center of the whole stretch of nets, be- 

 cause otherwise the net would sink in the middle if a very large number 

 of fish should hapi)en to be caught. Finally, when all the nets have 

 been set, there is attached to the last hoop, besides the weight and the 

 float, the so-called floating line, a rope 30 fathoms long, to which at 

 about a fathom's distance from tlie net a stone of the size of a fist is 

 attached, so the nearest net might not be raised too high, especially if 

 the weight has gone down deep. If the depth is only one or two fathoms 

 no stone is used. The floating line is then cast out and finally fastened 

 to the fore part of the boat. Boat and nets are then allowed to drive 

 with the wind and current, and once every hour the nearest net is 

 examined, to see whether the herring " takes," as the Gottland fisher- 

 men say. If you happen to fall in with a large school and the current 

 is not too strong the net must generally be hauled in after two to three 

 hours, so as not to catch more fish than the boat can carry. The Gott- 

 land boats carry about 300 '' hvlar," besides the net and other appa- 

 ratus. But in order to derive the full benefit from the herring-fisheries, 

 it is not only necessary to take the proper care of them, so there is 

 always a sufficient quantity of fish, but a thorough knowledge of the 

 different ways of x>reparing fish for the trade is likewise required. 



As fishermen very often are not able to sell the fish they catch for a 

 9 F 



