IO6 NORWEGIAN 



steam, and is divided into five qualities. France buys nine-tenths of 

 all the roe of fish. 



THE HERRING FISHERY, 



Whilst northern Norway devotes itself to the cod fishery, the 

 southern Norwegians prepare for the herring fishery, which mainly 

 lies between Cape Lindesnas and Cape Stat, the navigation herring 

 fishery in the 9th century was one of the chief sources of the wealth 

 of the country, and has never since ceased to be actively pursued, 

 although singular changes have taken place in its visits to the coast 

 for instance, we know that in the first half of the 16th century 

 the winter herring was very abundant in the neighbourhood of 

 Bergen, whilst in 1567 it appears to Imve altogether deserted these 

 feeding-grounds. During the first half of the 17th century it had 

 returned again, and from 1650 to 1654, there was a total cessation 

 of the fishery, in all probability the herring did not return to that 

 coast until about 1699 or 1700, from that time up to 1784, the 

 influx was variable but always productive. In 1784 it disappeared 

 and the fishery was not reopened until 1808 ; from that time it has 

 continued without interruption to the present year. The boats are 

 30 feet in length, and 10 feet in width, and three to four feet 

 deep, manned by four or five men, and geared with from fifteen to 

 thirty nets. 



The herring fishery employs about 6,000 boats, manned by 

 30,000 men. From an estimate, which extends to 1854, the fishery 

 to the south of Bergen gave employment to 3,749 boats with nets, 

 and carrying 15,311 men. 316 fishery companies employed 6,628 

 men to the south of Bergen. 



On the north of Bergen there were 1,261 boats, with nets, and 

 employing 5,596 men, and twenty-four fishing companies, compri- 

 sing 455 persons. 



In 1860 these figures were increased for the northern fishery to 

 2,632 boats and nets, and manned by 12,781 men, and by 27 com- 

 panies, formed of 608 men. Sometimes thousands of boats are to 

 be seen drawing their nets they estimate the number of boats at 

 6,000, and the number of fishermen at 33,000. 



In 1865 the whole number of people employed in the winter 

 herring fishery, taking sailors and all others employed, the number 

 was estimated at not less tiian 50,000, the annual produce of this 

 fishery has fluctuated between 600 and 800,000 barrels of fresh her- 

 ring, of which only about 50,000 barrels were consumed in the 

 country; the average price of a barrel has been 10 franks or 8s. 

 the net gain of each man realised about 200 to 270 franks, say about 

 ll each for the winter herring season. 



The summer herring fishery is also of great importance. It is 

 impossible to value exactly its product; but it is probable that it is 

 from 4 to 00,000 barrels a barrel contains 550 herrings. Nearly 



