[21] FAILURES AND SUCCESSES OF FISH-CULTURE. 457 



marline, while only about one-tbird devoted themselves to salmon-cult- 

 ure. The greater number of these establishments liave been closed in 

 course of time, owing to the unsatisfactory results, so that in 1878-79 

 only 38 were in existence, 16 of which were engaged in salmon-cnltnre. 



Most of these 38 establishments are very small, only T) reaching an annual 

 l)roduction of 100,000 young fish. Although for a long time 1,000,000 to 

 1,500,000 salmon fry have annually been planted, no certain proof can be 

 furnished— as IVlr. Landmark, insiiector of fisheries, states in his report 

 for 1881— that artificial fish-culture has been in any way a benefit to 

 the Norwegian salmon fisheries, which on the contrary seem to ha^'c 

 declined. 



As Director Haack says in the Oflicial Eeports on the International 

 Fishery Exposition at Berlin, 1880, in the chapter on fish-culture (p. 37), 

 salmon-culture in Norway was carried on in 50 rivers, as he was orally 

 intbrmed by Mr. Wallem, the Norwegian commissioner. Altliough this 

 culture is not carried on extensively, the salmon fisheries, formerly on 

 the decline, are said to increase slowly but steadily. 



A report from Christiania, published in the Deutsche Fischer ei-Zei- 

 tmif/, 1882, p. 28, describes the Norwegian salmon fisheries in 1881 as 

 on the whole satisfactory. In the northern districts these fisheries were 

 not so productive as formerly, but along the entire southern coast, from 

 Arendal to Namsoe, both in the sea and in the rivers, it was better than 

 during the preceding years. In spite of this the rei)ort says that it can- 

 not be denied that the salmon fisheries are on the decline, and the cause 

 of this is thought to be the vei-y lax way in which the prohibitory meas- 

 ures are observed. 



It appears from the above that the condition of affairs in Norway 

 leaves much to be desired. I have not been able to obtain any further 

 information as to the causes of the closing of so many fish-cultural es- 

 tablishments, but I am inclined to believe that one of the principal 

 causes is the spring-water theory, to which I have already referred 

 under the heads of Eussia and Sweden. This method will secure only 

 msiguificant results, and be the source of many disappointments. It 

 should, moreover, be taken into consideration that salmon-culture in 

 Norway is only managed on a small scale by the various establish- 

 ments, and doubtless with considerable loss. If, in addition to this 

 the prohibitory measures are not strictly observed we need not be sur- 

 prised if the salmon fisheries do not increase as much as is hoi)ed for. 

 It is probable, however, that they would have declined still more if 

 they had not here and there been aided by artificial fish-culture. 



The Norwegian Government is fully aware of the necessity of a 

 change as regards the stricter observance of the prohibitory measures, 

 and some time ago laid before the Storthing (the Norwegian J>ailia- 

 ment) the draft of a law aiming at a uniform regulation of the salmon 

 and salmon-trout fisheries. Among the reasons for this law the de- 

 cline ot the salmon fisheries is mentioned, and their promotion by strict 



