STATISTICS OF THE LOFFODEN FISHERIES FOR 1878. 



247 



The average temperature last season was 33.08 F., and tlie average 

 lowest temperatui'e 24.98 F. It lias therefore been a little warmer this 

 yt'di. January and the first part of February on tlie other hand were 

 ctnisiderabiy colder. The average temperature from January 19 to Feb- 

 ruary 9 was last season So.Go, and this season 31.82 F. The cause of the 

 early fishing this season can therefore not be the higher temperature, as 

 some have supposed. During the fishing-season I have not been able 

 to discover any connection between the fishing and the temperature of 

 the air. At Hopen and Henningsvier there was goodfishing all through 

 February and March, no matter whether the thermometer rose or fell. 

 The few good fishing-days which the East Loffoden fishermen had during 

 February were from the 12th till the ICth, when the average temperature 

 was 28.94 F. From the 11th March to 16th March on the other hand 

 fishing at the East Loffoden was very poor, although the temperature 

 had risen to an average of 32.36 F. Again there was good fishing from the 

 18th to the 23d of March, when the highest average temperature of March, 

 37.76 F.j was reached. I have therefore come to the conclusion that the 

 fisheries are entirely independent of the temperature of the air, and if 

 Professor Sars and others think they have observed the contrary, they 

 must have taken an exception for the rule. 



Temperature of the water at the station of Svohter in Fahrenheit. — The 

 temperature of the water in the harbor of Svolv^er has been observed 

 eveiy day from January 26 to March 2, both at the bottom and at a 

 depth of 6 fathoms (bottom). The temperature at the bottom varied 

 from 32 to 40.10 degrees F., and was generally higher in proportion 

 when the temperature of the air was lower. The instrument used was 

 a Caseila-Miller therniometer. 



Week endinfr — 



F<»brnary 9 

 Fchmary 16 

 Febrnary 23 



ilarc]i2''. ... 



Air. 



Water. 



2Toon. Lowest.! Surface. ^,^^^^1 



32.36 

 29.84 

 34.88 

 28. S4 



27. 68 

 25.34 

 30.74 

 23. IS 



35. C9 

 35.35 

 33.94 

 35. 06 



37.04 

 37.78 

 36.35 



38.84 



The fact of the water at the surflice being colder when the temper- 

 ature of the air was 34.88 F., than when it was colder, is probably caused 

 by the melting of the snow-water. It seems less probable, however, 

 that the effect of the snow-water should be felt at a depth of 6 fathoms, 

 especially as no stream worth the name falls into the sea at this place, 

 and as far as our knowledge goes nothing of the kind has been observed. 

 Between the temperature of the water and the wind there seems to be 

 a certain connection. We could not ascertain which was cause and 

 which was effect as the weather was very changeable. The tide seemed 

 to have no effect on the temperature. 



