[17] THE GREAT BOHUS-LAN HERRING FISHERIES. 115 
ring fisheries and the herring trade should from time to time be published 
in a number of our newspapers having a large circulation. This should 
be done at government expense, and there is no reason to doubt that 
the effect would be very beneficial to our herring industries. Proper 
measures should be taken by our authorities to prevent the exportation 
to foreign countries of an inferior article, for a few mistakes in this 
direction may prove fatal to the.entire export trade. The herring trade 
will also be greatly encouraged by furnishing our outer harbor with all 
the conveniences belonging to first-class ports, and by granting certain 
customs privileges to ships bringing articles necessary for the herring 
industry, or taking the products of these industries to foreign countries. 
The desire for such privileges has been repeatedly expressed even dur- 
ing the eighteenth century. 
Any measures taken by the government should aim at lessening the 
disadvantages which accompany the fisheries, and which make them- 
selves felt at the close of the fishing period. This object will, amongst 
the rest, be reached by (1) developing the fishing industry in such a 
direction as to combine the most profitable financial results with the 
least possible sinking of capital, and to limit the number of persons 
engaged in said industry; (2) by concentrating this industry as much 
as practicable in a small number of favorably located ports; (3) by 
limiting the sale of liquor during the fishing season, and by issuing all 
the necessary rules and regulations, and by entrusting the maintenance 
of law and order to an efficient coast police; (4) by extending and 
encouraging the activity of churches and schools; (5) by establishing 
savings banks, insurance and other beneficial associations; (6) by encour- 
aging, as\much as possible, the various industries connected with the 
herring fisheries, e. g. the other sea fisheries and navigation; (7) by 
establishing new and better means of communication, and by encour- 
aging agriculture and all industries throughout the province. It is 
well known from former herring periods how much the slow financial 
development of the province was disturbed by the rich herring fisheries, 
and that drunkenness and immorality, fostered by the great ease with 
which money was made during the fishing season, finally caused poverty 
and suffering among the lower and middle classes of our coast popula- 
tion, who had become unfit for any other occupation. Agriculture 
suffered seriously, as labor, which was urgently needed, was drawn 
away to the fisheries during the very time of the year when it could 
hardly be dispensed with for agricultural purposes. The government 
should, therefore, use ail the means in its power to prevent, or at least 
to lessen, the injurious effects of these disadvantages which are insep- 
arably connected with the fisheries. 
It is evident that much will be gained by limiting as far as possible 
the number of persons engaged in the herring industry. It will, under 
all circumstances, be hurtful to the best interests of a people, if a large 
number of persons scattered along a great extent of coast are dependent 
