[17] THE FINMARK CAPELAN-FISHERIES. 183 
(7.) The greatest danger which, in my opinion, threatens the capelan- 
fisheries from the whale-fisheries is that there may possibly be a conflict: 
between these two interests. If this should really ever be the case it 
will be time enough to take measures for assigning certain limits to each 
fishery, so as to preclude the possibility of a collision. But, strange to 
say, very few complaints have been raised relative to this (in my opinion) 
very important point, and from what I heard during my stay at the 
fishing-stations, there has so far been very little cause for such com- 
plaints. There seem to have been a few cases where the lines of the 
capelan-fishers have been disturbed by the whale-fisheries, but in such 
cases Mr. Foyn has invariably reimbursed the fishermen for their loss 
in such a liberal manner as to make their gain exceed their loss. It is, 
however, within the range of possibility that, if the whale-fisheries 
should be further developed, the conflict between the two interests might 
become more serious. Another point should be taken into consideration 
—the possible danger to the lives of the fishermen, if the whale-fisheries 
should be prosecuted on a more extensive scale in the usual fishing- 
places, which are crowded with boats and implements. When a whale, 
which has been shot but is not yet dead, rushes furiously along with the 
steamer in tow, it cannot possibly make way for the boats which acci- - 
dentally cross its path; nor will it be possible for the crews of such boats 
who are engaged in hauling in their lines and nets to escape the approach- 
ing danger. It is evident that accidents could thus easily happen, and in 
such cases neither Mr. Foyn nor any one else could make up for the 
losses sustained. For these reasons I would be inclined to favor a reason- 
able limitation of the whale-fisheries, promising greater safety to appa- 
ratus and human life; and it is my idea that this could best be dene by 
drawing a certain line at some distance from the coast, within which 
no whale could be shot during the fishing-season. If this line were 
drawn one half mile (Norwegian) from the coast the whale-fisheries would 
not be inconvenienced, and the other fisheries could be carried on with 
greater safety, and the danger, to some extent well founded, that under 
certain circumstances the whale-fisheries might drive away the schools of 
capelan, would be removed. 
There are a few more points regarding the whale-fisheries which have 
attracted attention during the last few years, and to which I will refer, 
because during my stay at the fishing-stations I have made them the 
subject of special investigations. 
(8.) The fear has been expressed that the refuse from the captured 
whales might fill the sea with fatty and impure substances to such an 
extent as to prevent the capelan entering the Varanger-fiord, since the 
capelan seemed to avoid the places where whaling-establishments are 
located. As regards this last-mentioned point, I must say that experi- 
ence does not prove its correctness. Whenever capelan have visited the 
Varanger-fiord, and this has more or Jess always been the case, they have 
gone to their accustomed places, and the Vadsoe Sound has always been 
