['^^] THE FISHERIES OF ICELAND. 305 



imisr liavo occiisioned the failure of the fisheries. We possess statistics 

 <» the Icehm.l fisheru-s j^^oin^- back several centuries, ami we find that 

 at all times there have been iips and downs. But is there any differ- 

 eace 111 this respect between fisheries and agriculture? In the course 

 ut years there is a constant alternation of good, medinm, and bad 

 harvests; and it will be generally acknowled^i-ed that climatic chanoes 

 are the principal causes. The same applies to the fislieries. The 

 wea her c^xercises an influence on the animal life of the sea, and 

 on the facilities for fishing. Unfavorable weather may in one veir de- 

 stroy partly or entirely the e-s of the fish and greatly interfere with 

 spawning, or even destroy many of the young fish; then again there 

 will be years when hardly any fish are caught, and such a year will 

 long be remembered. It may also happen that the spawning and hatch- 

 -ng processes pass ofl' successfully, but that the young fish perish, be- 

 cause from some cause the food on which they depend has been de- 

 stroyed. 1 oor fisheries are, as a rule, mused by natural hindrances, 

 such as the condition of the weather and of the sea. I consider it im 

 l.ossible to determine beforehand, in waters like the Iceland fiords what 

 amount of fish will be caught; but I think thatmore knowledge should 

 be obtained of the natural condition of those waters, with special re- 

 gard to the fisheries and their needs. Everywhere endeavors are beiu- 

 made to obtain such knowledge; and in all cases the object is the same" 

 namely, to obtain such a knowledge of the conditions of life of fish 

 and ot the physical conditions of the sea, as will enable fishermen to 

 pursue their trade witli some understanding, and not to work in the 

 • lark, as is unfortunately done so frecpiently. At present the Iceland 

 lierring-fisheries are a sort of lottery, which probablv in the course of 

 >ears yields but sn.all gains to the ship-owners who exery vear send 

 iheu- vessels to Iceland. 

 The shark fisheries, more than any other fisheries, are peculiar lo 

 . Iceland. Iheir results are more uniform from one year to the other ; 

 and they must, on the whole, be considered remunerative. The i)rinei- 

 pal object is to get the liver of the shark, which contains a great deal 

 ot oil Some time ago I gave a full description of these fisheries, and 

 It wdl therefore not be necessary to say anything about them in this 



The whale fisheries are not carried on systematically by tin. Iceland- 

 ers and no Danish vessels are engage.l in them. Occasionally a whale 

 IS thrown on the Iceland coast ; and it even happens sometimes that a 

 Avholc school are locked in the ice, and are killed or else perisli. Thus 

 afewyears ago 40 large whales Avere caught on the property of one 

 '|manin^ordland. During the last tew years the Norwegian whaler 

 ||C)ven loyn has maintained a whaling establishment on the coast of 

 I Iceland. Last year these fisheries were not very produc^tive, and there 

 •; was some talk of closing the establishment; but this year about 25 

 Whales wcu^e caught, worth from $10,000 to $21,000. Whale hshin'- is 

 -tl. Mis. 08 .20 >> 



