136 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [10] 
as Finmark, but their yield was only about 2,000 barrels per year. 
Later than 1869 there were no fisheries in these high latitudes. The 
great herring-fisheries proper were carried on near the coasts of the dis- 
tricts of Nordland and Tromsé where the largest number of great her- 
rings approach the coast. After having reached the coast about the 
same time near Senjenin Tromsé and near Vesteralen, the great schools of 
herring passed the southern point of the Lofoden Islands, going in a 
southerly direction to the Skibbaads Reefs inSouthern Helgeland. Smaller 
schools went further east to the Gildeskaal Reefs near Sydsalten. One 
year after the other the great herring returned to exactly the same 
localities, and the time of their arrival was exceedingly regular. Later 
the herring went farther north; the Helgeland fisheries came to an end, 
and the great masses of herring turned farther north from the southern 
point of the Lofoden Islands in the direction of the Vestfiord, not a few, 
of them going as far north as Finmark. . 
The more important data as to time and place of these remarkable 
migrations are as follows: 
In 1868 and 1869 the hitherto insignificant Gildeskaal fisheries began 
to improve, especially at the fishing-stations of Fuglover and Fleinver. 
In 1869 an enormous mass of herring came to Fleinver, and large num- 
bers also came to Puglover. 
In 1870 herring not only came in large masses to Fuglover, where 
the fisheries were very good, but also farther north to the Helliy Reefs. 
in the district of Bodé, where formerly no great herring had been 
caught. Owing to various unfortunate circumstances not many fish, 
however, were caught, the yield being only about 2,000 barrels. Even 
during that year (1870), therefore, a change could be noticed in the 
migrations of the great schools of herring, many of them going as far 
north as the Vestfiord. 
In 1871 enormous masses of herring came near the Gildeskaal coast, 
so that in some places the sounds were absolutely filled with herring. 
Herring also came to the Hellig Reefs, and to Blixver and Landegade, 
and other places in the same district; the yield was 56,000 barrels. 
In 1872 large numbers of herring again came to the Gildeskaal coast, 
and to many places on the coast of the Bodé district. Near the Helge- 
land Reefs, however, where there had been the most extensive fisheries, 
but few fish were caught; this applied especially to the three southern- 
most reefs viz: Skibbaadsveer, Aasver, and Lovunden. The total yield 
was only 24,450 barrels, agaiust 294,200 in 1871, when, it is true, the 
fisheries were exceptionally productive. Farthernorth, near Rédd, inthe 
Helgeland district, the yield was 10,500 barrels. 
In 1873 but few herring came to the coast of Helgeland, excepting, 
however, the northernmost portion near Meld, and the fisheries proved 
an almost total failure at Shibbaadsveer, Aasvowr, and Lovunden (total 
yield 4,600 barrels), and at Rédé (yield 1,000 barrels). At Melo the 
herring approached the coast several times, but even here a decrease 
