562 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



Wlien, driven by instinct, they again retrace tbeir way to their birthplace 

 they become on their way along the coast, which they always follow, the 

 object of a fishery of the greatest economical imi^ortance, because they 

 are then in the best condition, which they quickly lose after their en- 

 trance into the river, where, according to experience, they take little or 

 no nourishment, Kesidents on the sea-coast are thus in all respects at 

 least as much interested in the hatching of salmon in the greatest possi- 

 ble quantity as the dwellers along the river courses. This community of 

 interest is not yet comprehended in its full extent. Since the coast- 

 dwellers as a rule are cut oft' from the opportunity of working i>erson- 

 ally for the production, or even for the preservation, of the salmon sup- 

 j)ly, they harvest what others have sown, and ought therefore rightfully 

 to be obliged, in proportion to their catch, to share in the expenses which 

 the hatching of the young salmon in the river-courses involves. A law 

 of this kind would be eminently just, and would doubtless in a high de- 

 gree advance the profit for all, but first and to the greatest extent for the 

 coast-dwellers themselves. 



Law has now established a certain size of mesh for the implements 

 for catching salmon. This should gradually be increased so that only 

 full-grown salmon of twelve Danish pounds weight, G kilograms, and 

 upwards, can be caught. The salmon is then four years old. It will 

 doubtless be urged as an objection to this that they will thereby lose 

 permission to catch the sea-trout. This will certainly become true so far 

 as the salmon-nets are concerned. But since the sea-trout are of infe- 

 rior value compared with salmon, and one will gain more by allowing 

 the salmon to become mature than by catching the small ones, the loss 

 of the sea-trout in the salmon-nets cannot be taken into consideration. 

 One must resign the capture to the common set- nets. At the same time 

 the now legal sale of young salmon 8 inches long should be absolutely 

 forbidden; under a size of 16 marks (8 Danish pounds), four kilograms, 

 should no salmon be allowed to be sold. Moreover, the necessary active 

 attention must be exercised in order that such a provision of law, as all 

 others, may be properly respected ; because only in this way will all per- 

 sons interested be able to reap the full share, which, according to the cir- 

 cumstances existing on their soil, rightfully belongs to them. It is evident 

 that the coast population have it in their power to capture nearly all the 

 fish which come into the rivers, just as the residents on the river banks 

 .are able to omit the hatching of the young, the plain result of which 

 will be that the coast people can get no salmon, since after a shorter or 

 longer time no salmon will be found in the sea along the adjacent coast- 

 ' extent. Both categories of proprietors' interests are thus closely de- 

 jpendent each ui^on the other. It would therefore seem that it would be 

 to the greatest advantage of all the fishery-owners in the naturallj^-united 

 districts whose interests are thus consolidated, if the whole matter 

 within the district were carried on in partnership, as well with regard to 

 the planting as the harvesting. Without the aid of suitable legislation 



