REPOPULATION 135 



In 1892 MM. Mikkelsen and Mahlsen transported a 

 batch of small plaice, in good condition, to one of the 

 lakes full of large plaice. The small plaice promptly 

 proceeded to grow. The two naturalists effected a 

 number of transplantations, and even sought a further 

 supply of little fish. The success of their experiment 

 was complete. To-day the copious fisheries of Lumfjord 

 are the result of these transplantations. This is not a 

 gratuitous statement the scientific proof dates from 

 1895. At that time 82,500 young plaice, of which 10,900 

 were marked, were placed in Thisted Bredning, a lake 

 situated on the eastern portion of the fjord, which was 

 frequented by large plaice. Since then a proportion of 

 marked fish has been retaken at least equal to the original 

 proportions. Since 1892 operations have continued 

 without a break, thanks to the local societies and with 

 the pecuniary help of the Danish society. The small 

 sailing vessels trawling near the coast capture at least 

 50,000 young plaice apiece in a single day. The best of 

 these are selected and transported, by means of tank- 

 carriers, to the Lumfjord. In 1900 200,000 such fish were 

 turned in. In May, 1905, the societies of Nykiobing and 

 Thisted transplanted 80,000. The expenses are modest : 

 each fish transported costs about "3 or '4 of a penny ; at 

 the end of the year it is worth r8d., and by the spring 

 4'5d. There is one more step to be taken. The young 

 plaice of the eastern lakes of the Lumfjord return to 

 the Baltic when they have grown. By retaining them 

 by means of dams and weirs the Danish fishers would 

 increase their stock of young fish and ensure a still 

 greater production. 



Weirs, moreover, would be no new device. It is prob- 

 able that the Venetians erected dams in their lagoons 

 between 1152 and 1181 ; at all events, there existed at least 



