[3] BOHUS-LAN SEA FISHERIES AND THEIR FUTURE. 91 
the Norwegian coast near Bergen, again came to the coast of Bohus- 
lin in large numbers; but the exact location where the fisheries were 
carried on is not known, although there are indications that about this 
very time Marstrand was in an exceptionally flourishing condition. 
During this herring period the government allowed the Hanse. cities to 
participate in these rich fisheries, which privilege, however, was very 
probably abruptly ended by the great plague. 
About the middle of the fifteenth century herring again visited our 
coasts in large numbers, and it is well known that from this time the 
herring fisheries began on the coast of Vestergdtland, where the gov- 
ernment levied a tax on the fishermen. The great herring fisheries had 
now become an important source of revenue to the government. Dur- 
ing this period Marstrand was incorporated as a city (1442), and its 
church was completed (1460). As the Hanse cities petitioned the gov- 
ernment to have their privileges renewed, it is probable that they like- 
wise participated in these fisheries. 
From the middle of the sixteenth century herring again came to the 
coast of Bohus liin in very large numbers near Marstrand, and as far as 
the Homborg Sound. These fisheries continued till about the year 
1556, which was not many years before the northern or spring-herring 
fisheries near the western coast of Norway came to an end, as the his- 
torian Peder Claussién Friis, who is well acquainted with this herring 
period, expressly says in his history. From printed documents in the 
Norwegian archives it appears that in 1561 the herring fisheries were 
principally carried on near Marstrand in 1564 (when they began Sep- 
tember 6), also at three stations on the island of Orust— Rokersvik, 
Mollésund and Svanesund, and in 1565, in nearly the same localities, 
Hermensund and Mollésund being mentioned as important herring 
places. _ In 1572, when the fisheries commenced somewhat later in au- 
tumn, a superintendent of customs was appointed at Marstrand, and cus- 
toms officers were stationed in various places on the island of Orust. 
In 1576, when the fisheries did not begin till some time in November, 
large numbers of herring made their appearance north of Marstrand. 
It may be presumed that principally towards the close of the herring 
period, fisheries were also carried on near Vette and near the Hval 
Isiands on the coast of Norway ; but in those localities they do not seem 
to have reached a sufficient degree of importance to cause the govern- 
ment to establish a customs station for the purpose of deriving revenue 
from these fisheries, which began to decline about 1580 and ceased en- 
tirely in 1590. During this period the herring were almost exclusively 
caught with seines and stationary nets, which began to be introduced 
towards the end of the period, but were strictly prohibited in 1583. As 
a general rule these herring were smaller and leaner than the Norwe- 
gian so-called “spring herring,” but the sum of 40 marks had to be 
‘paid for the privilege of salting them. The so-called ‘round salted” 
herring (herring salted while bloody in flat-bottomed vessels) were 
only prepared for home consumption or for exportation to Sweden. 
& 
