374 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [12] 



tbe average price of herring on the east ami on the west coasts of Skane 

 which is Sanlly sufficiently explained by the better qnaht,' and greater 

 size of the Knihx herring (on the west coast). It is to be hoped that 

 he easier communication with the interior by -^^^ «* ^^^^ ^''fi ^ 

 opened Cimbrisham railway will create a better mai cet for the fi 1 

 caught on the east coast of Skane. That the construction otrai road, 

 has^ilread V exercised a beneficial influence on the income derived from , 

 the fisheries has been fully demonstrated in other parts of Skane. Thus 

 old fishermen from Ystad have assured me that since the opening of 

 the railroad the fisheries are continued later into autumn and are 

 carried on far more energetically than formerly Besides the herring 

 which are sold on the spot, fresh fish are every day sent by.rai way to 

 Malmo, and, slightly salted, as far as Estof and Jonkopmg." The 

 same will doubtless be the case on the east coast as soon as better 

 means of communication are provided. 



The herring on the east coast of Skane are of exactly the same kind 

 as the so-called Bornholm herring, and if carefully treated they could 

 doubtless bring a better pric*^ and find a more extended market than is 

 the case at present. The experience of Blekinge and Bornholm is 

 a sufficient guaranty for this. Besides other difficulties (as that the 

 best herring are caught during the hottest part of summer), the efforts 

 to -ive the Baltic herring a good reputation are counteracted by the cir- 

 cumstance that spawning herring unsuitable for salting are often intro- 

 duced into the market under the same name as the better kinds of her- 

 ring, which decreases thcnr reputation and price, and throws difficulties 

 in tbe way of persons who are desirous of preparing a better article. 

 If the Skane salt herring are to get a better name and more extended 

 market, it is absolutely necessary to introduce a better system of sort- 

 ing the herring and of stamping the barrels. It is also very desirable 

 that our business men should give some attention to the matter. It is 

 hardly to be expected that the Skane fisheries can be made to compete 

 successfully with the great fisheries of the world ; but that they de- 

 serve greater attention, and that business men will here find a fruitful 

 field for enterip rise, will be seen from the following data: 



■Nrnml.or ..f Idcoido from the Skane IJTuniber of fishermen, nets, 

 JNumberoi iieniufflisborics. | and bouta. 



Years. 



1879. 

 1S80. 

 1881. 



herring 



caught on ' 



the coast of, 



Skane. Crowns. 



Dollars. 



374, 784 100, 442. 11 

 604,161 1C1,9J5. 14 

 641,191 I 171,839.18 



Fishermen. 



2,166 



2,303 

 2,437 



Nets. Boats. 



35, 365 

 36,569 

 38,334 1 



520 



786 



758 



Untbrtuuately we do not possess data from a sufficient number of 

 Years to show the changes to which the herring fisheries have been sub- 



" In Ystad there is a smokti-house, owned by a German, and smoked herring and 

 eels are exported thence to Germany. 



