[5] THE SPRING HERRING FISHERIES OF NORWAY. 131 
been the actual fact, unless one supposes that the largest school of 
herring approached the coast in places where there was no one to ob- 
serve them. Even at Udsire, which is a favorite resort of the herring, 
the schools were much smaller than usual.” In reviewing these fisheries 
at the present time, we find that these observations were entirely cor- 
rect. The quality of the herring during that year also goes to corrobo- 
rate them, for during these fisheries an unusual number of small herring 
were caught with the spring herring. Generally these small herring 
only make their appearance after or near the close of the fishing season, 
-and their appearance is always considered as a sign that the schools of 
spring herring are decreasing in size, and are disappearing from the 
coast. This mingling of small herring with the spring herring during 
the fishing season of 1869 has its parallel in the Bohus-lan fishing period, 
which came to a close in 1808, the last years of which likewise distin- 
guished themselves by the frequent mingling of small herring with the 
larger herring. 
From the reports of the superintendents we learn that, in 1869, the 
schools of herring were often followed by large numbers of coal-fish, 
which were often noticed in the very middle of such schools. This was 
the case not only in the southern, but also in the northern district. 
Fishing was very uneven during this year. 
The superintendent of the northern district reports that, in 1869, the 
number of herring which approached the coast was hardly less than 
in former years, and that no small herring were found among the spring 
herring. Soon afterwards, however, the same phenomena undoubtedly 
began to show themselves in the northern district, although they were 
not as closely observed as in the southern district, where the year 1869 
marks the end of the rich spring herring fisheries. Whilst in 1869 
355,000 barrels of fish were caught in the southern district, the spring- 
herring fisheries proper only yielded 55,000 barrels in 1870. Although 
this last-mentioned number is probably too low (see report of the super- 
- intendent for 1871), the fact remains that the yield was much smaller 
than in 1869. In 1870 the first school of herring, composed purely of 
spring herring, were observed on the 20th January, but fishing did not 
commence till the 10th of February, some of this delay, it is true, having 
been caused by unusually stormy weather and heavy seas. The fish- 
eries during this season were short and irregular, and the same was the 
case during the three following years, when only an average quantity of 
14,000 to 15,000 barrels was caught. ‘The herring made their appearance 
sometimes in January and sometimes in February, but it was impossible 
‘to fix the exact date of the arrival of the spring herring, as they were 
very much mixed with ‘new herring,” from which it was difficult to 
distinguish them. (With regard to these herring more will be said.) 
In 1874 the southern spring-herring district only yielded the very 
small quantity of 3,000 barrels. During this and the preceding years 
it was proved in the most convincing manner that the cause of this sud- 
