XXVIII.-THE FUTURE OF THE HERRING FISHERIES ON THE 

 COAST OF BOHUSLAN.* 



By Axkl Viluelm Ljungman. 



As it is well kuowu that the different Bobiislim herring- periods re- 

 semble each other, in that they show regular changes in the course of 

 the fisheries, caused by a change of the locality where the herring ap- 

 proach the coast and by a change of time when this takes place, and as, 

 therefore, it is possible to judge with some degree of certainty, fiom 

 the course of the fisheries during a preceding period, how the course 

 will be during a comitig period, I will endeavor to give some such prog- 

 nostications. Unfortunately, we possess no exact and full data as re- 

 gards the close of any of the former herring periods, but those which 

 we have from the last century are sufficient to serve as a guide. In a 

 report on the herring fisheries in 1758 v>^e read, relative to the place 

 where the fisheries were carried on, the following: "In 1747 and 1748 

 a large number of lierring began to approach the northern portion of 

 the coast of Bohuslan ; later they went farther south, as far as Mar- 

 stiand, and i:i 1752 they made their appearance near Gothenburg;" 

 and in a report dated April 22, 1761, it is stated that "from the year 

 1750 (?) the herring were principally found on the southern portion 

 of the coast of Bohuslan, between Gothenburg and Marstrand, and 

 about 3 or 4 miles north of the last-mentioned town." From a re- 

 port for 17G4 it appears that "in iuitumn the herring were principally 

 found on both sides of the island of Marstrand, and some years in great 

 quantities near the Gothenburg coast, and even as far south as the coast 

 of the province of Hallaud;" but that " in autumn and towards winter 

 they went farther north, as far as the Gullmars fiord, and occasionally 

 up to the Norwegian boundary line." 



From a pamphlet published in 1765, and entitled " The necessity for 

 appointing a director of fisheries in the districts of Bohus and Goth- 

 enburg," it appears that the principal place of sojourn of the herring 

 was the central and southern portion of the coast of Bohuslan, which 

 is also confirmed by the so called " Oil-refuse Act" and numerous other 

 reports. If we compare these data with those gathered during the pres- 



*"Det fiinataende sillfisket i Bohmldmka skdrgdrden." Gothenburg, 1883. Trans- 

 lated from the Swedish by Herman Jacobsox. 



t^] 399 



