98 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [10] 
Sweden has no suitable places to form a basis for these fisheries in the 
Kattegat and the Skagerack. It should be our aim to make the herring 
fisheries in our seas, as was the case during the last herring period, an 
exclusively Swedish industry, and to prevent foreigners from enjoying 
those natural advantages which by right belong to us. 
Any measures intended to further the sea fisheries should therefore 
not only aim at remedying those evils which made themselves felt dur- 
ing the former herring periods, but at bringing to the utmost degree 
of development all the great sea fisheries, all of which may be reached 
by improved means of communication, and by concentrating the fishing 
industries in certain favorably situated places on the coast. The cre- 
ation of a regular fish trade, and of a body of experienced fishermen 
and salters, &c., will only be possible in places where the very location 
points to the sea fisheries as the most natural and profitable industry, 
such as Bergen, Yarmouth, Grimsley, &e., for only in such places can 
capitalists be found who take enough interest in the matter to invest 
their money in the fishing industries. Through such a concentration 
of the fishing industries the Bohus-liin fisheries would become more 
thoroughly Swedish and would supply the Swedish nation with a cheap 
and wholesome article of food; whilst, if nothing is done to promote 
the fishing interests, there is great danger that the Swedish deep-sea 
fishermen (as is already the case to some extent with the Aalesund fish- 
eries) will cease to be independent fishermen, and become the servants 
of foreigners, from whom we would thus continue to import the greater 
portion of the fish which we consume. The salting of fish caught in 
the deep-sea fisheries which has been much neglected during the last 
ten years, should again be taken up energetically, and the endeavors 
made with such good success in the years 1857-1865 should be repeated 
and applied to the sea fisheries, more especially if the proposed new 
railroads make it possible to carry both fresh and slightly salted fish 
to any part of the country. 
From these brief indications it will be evident that all that our Bohus- 
lan fisheries need in order to be brought to their proper height, is, above 
everything, increased means of communication by railroads connecting 
ing the various important harbors on our coast, and by a line connecting 
this coast railroad with the railroad system of the kingdom. 
Such measures, if properly carried out, will infuse new life not only 
into the Bohus-lin sea fisheries, but also into all our industries, and will 
moreover vastly increase the business of all our railroads, and soon re- 
pay all the money invested. 
Whatever opinions one may entertain as to the importance of our 
Bobuslin fisheries, and their value to our whole country, it will, under 
all circumstances, be very desirable that the indifference our people 
manifest at present to this great industry should be overcome, and that 
they should be induced, by every possible means, to take an active in- 
terest in this matter. 
