® 
[15] THE FINMARK CAPELAN-FISHERIES. 181 
year, speak of the large number of whales and birds, just as in former 
times. As regards the complaint that there has been a decrease in the 
number of whales in the Varanger-fiord, we must take inte consideration | 
the circumstance that the whale only visits these places where it can 
obtain sufficient food. As it is a fact that of late years the capelan 
have not entered the Varanger-fiord in any considerable number, it is 
but a natural consequence of this fact that the whales in this fiord are 
not as numerous as in former years. If any species of whales may be 
supposed to have decreased on account of the present whale-fisheries 
this would be the “ blue-whale,” but the rich hauls made during the last 
few years do not seem to indicate any such decrease. As the whale- 
fisheries are carried on at present, it is hardly probable that there will 
be any noticeable decrease in the number of whales in the near future. 
If the whale-fisheries, however, should be further developed, and new 
whaling-stations be established on this coast, such an occurrence is 
within the range of possibility. In this case it weuld be advisable to 
take suitable measures for preserving a source of income, which doubt- 
less in the future will yield a still greater gain, in proportion as the pre- 
paration and improvement of the raw material becomes more perfect 
and better apparatus is employed. 
(5.) There are instances en record, unfortunately, which show that it 
is possible for man to exterminate an entire species ofanimals. Although 
it seems hardly possible that this should ever be the case with the whales, 
whose home and place of refuge is the whole vast ocean, it is quite pos- 
sible that, by being too eagerly pursued for a long number of years, their 
number may decrease, and that finally they may be more or less driven 
away from certain coasts. It is not easy to say what would be the con- 
sequences of such an occurrence. It is my opinion, however, that as far 
as the fisheries are concerned these consequences would not be as serious 
as some people are inclined to think. Whilst it is certainly donbtfual 
whether the whales to any great extent chase the eapelan and herring 
towards the shore, it is absolutely certain that enormeus quantities of 
these fish are destroyed by the whales. The “ Fin-whales” must actually 
be considered as hurtful animals. The “biue-whale,” on the other hand, 
lives almost exclusively on small crustaceans, which are of considerable 
importance to the fisheries, as they form the principal bait for the cod. 
The probable consequence of the disappearance of the whales would be 
an increase in the number of eapelan, and an improvement in the cod- 
fisheries, on account of the larger number of small crustaceans; in other 
words, there is reason to suppose that instead of being injured, the 
fisheries would be benefited. It would, however, be wrong to encourage, 
from this point of view, a war of extermination against the whales. 
Although these animals do not play the peculiar part which the super- 
stition of former years has assigned them, they doubtless have their place 
in the great household of nature by contributing their share towards 
maintaining that equilibrium which is necessary for the fauna of the sea, 
