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[15] THE SPRING HERRING FISHERIES OF NORWAY. 141 
eries people were surprised to see large masses of the so-cal'ed “ new 
herring” or “mixed herring.” Some were caught as early as the mid- 
dle of December; towards the middle of January, they again began to 
disappear; some, however, remained till the end of January or the be. 
ginning of February, and, even under date of the 11th of February, it 
was reported in the Karmesundsposten (a paper) that small quantities 
of ‘‘new herring” had been seen in the bays, both north and south of 
Karmé. The “new herring” like the spring herring immediately came 
in near the coast from the high sea in large schools, and were princi- 
pally caught in seines. They came simultaneously in many places 
along a considerable extent of coast. They were found everywhere, in 
the southern, northern, and central spring-herring districts. They even 
showed themselves as far south as Hgersund, but especially on the heights 
of Bergen, the largest masses being noticed a little to the west and south- 
west of that city, on the west coast of the Sartor Island. The yield dur- 
ing that year amounted to about 150,000 barrels, which was very little 
when compared with the large masses of herring off the coast. 
The “new herring” differed greatly in size and quality, and they 
were therefore called ‘mixed herring.” I prefer, however, to call them 
‘“‘new herring,” as the name “mixed herring” is apt to confuse, since 
those spring herring and small herring which are often caught together 
towards the close of the year’s spring-herring fisheries, are frequently 
called ‘‘ mixed herring.” 
When the “new herring” came near the shore, their schools were 
found to consist of ‘blood herring,” some spring herring, herring of 
the size of the Nordland great herring, and finally some summer or fat 
herring. The occurrence of summer herring is, to a great extent at 
least, caused by the circumstance that the schools had fallen in with 
them near the coast and in the mouths of the fiords and had mingled 
with them. Whenever there were any considerable fisheries near the 
mouths of the fiords the superintendents’ reports say that there were 
large numbers of “fat herring” mixed with the other herring. Only 
in exceptional cases spring herring were noticed in the schools, and 
‘had probably found their way there from the great masses of spring 
herring. They were not fully matured, but the same is said to have 
‘been the case during this year with most of the spring herring.* It 
must be supposed that those herring which in size resemble the Nordland 
great herring, and which also were not fully matured, were nothing 
but spring herring, many of which reach the same size as the great 
herring. During the following year, however, still larger herring were 
caught; and it is not impossible that these herring which arrived off the 
coast very early in the season, together with the great mass of ‘‘new 
herring,” came from farther north, where such large herring have their 
home. But even these must under all circumstances have been mixed. 
The largest and most important portion of the schools of ‘‘ new her- 
* BoECK: Om Silden og Sildefiskerierne, p. 111. 
