THE LOBSTER FISHERY. 713 



from June 15 to October 1, fearing that the exports to England might thereby be hindered, as 

 the companies would naturally not consider the lobster trade profitable unless it was steady; and 

 the fishermen would lose their income during the time when exportation was forbidden, or they 

 would evude the law, continuing to fish and keeping the lobsters till exportation was again permit- 

 ted. Others again raised objections based on their knowledge of the natural history of the lobster, 

 considering it doubtful whether the lobster spawned and shed its shell during the time indicated, 

 and even if it were the case, that the time was too long. Reports from other districts, such as 

 Stavanger, said that such a law was unnecessary, as no fishing was, anyway, going on during that 

 time. These objections to such a protective law could not have much influence, especially those 

 founded on the natural history of the lobster, for they could not be proved. But even the fear 

 of an entire stoppage of the lobster trade would be causeless, as such an event would be much 

 more injurious to England, whose inhabitants had accustomed themselves to this luxury, than to 

 Norway, which received but little money for her lobsters. From other sides it was said, in favor of 

 the law, that such a protection would be useful, as the lobster very easily dies during the season 

 when it spawns and sheds it shell, although this season is not the same everywhere. Those who 

 might suffer from limiting the fishing season would be fully compensated for this, by the greater 

 number of lobsters that would be taken during the season when fishing was permitted; and the 

 fishermen should, at any rate, during summer devote their attention more to working their small 

 farms and to the herring fisheries. The Government found that the whole matter was not yet 

 sufficiently clear to say with certainty whether such a prohibition of lobster fishing during the 

 season when the lobster spawns and sheds its shell, would prove generally useful. The districts 

 where lobster fishing was carried on were, therefore, requested to have those fisheries thoroughly 

 examined for several years by competent men, and then again send in reports as to whether such 

 a prohibition would be useful. It was likewise requested that an opinion should be given regard- 

 ing a proposition made by some people in the district of Nedernees and Raabygdelagen, to divide 

 the coast into small districts, where lobster fishing should be alternately protected, so that if a 

 district had enjoyed the privilege of fishing for three years, fishing should there be forbidden 

 during the three following years. The reports coming in, in answer to this request, contained a 

 very extensive prohibitory law, recommended by the above-mentioned district, suggesting that 

 fishing should be prohibited from March 1 to October 1, and advising that no lobsters measuring 

 less than 8 inches should be caught; the length of time when fishing was to be prohibited should 

 be three years in each district. Another district only wanted to have fishing prohibited from July 

 1 to November 1, but was not in favor of alternating the time between the districts. The Stavanger 

 district reported that as fishing was going on there only in April, May, and June, no law would be 

 required, and none would be desirable, especially if it were to forbid fishing during the month of 

 June, when the weather was favorable and the fishermen had most time for it. The lobster did 

 not spawn on that coast till August and September. It was also thought that the number of lob- 

 sters had not diminished, but that they now staid deeper in the water, finding enough food in 

 the roe left by the herrings; alternating protection was not thought advisable. The report from 

 the South Bergen district was essentially the same, and the Romsdal report said that lobsters 

 were only caught from the end of May till the end of July. As there were, moreover, many dif- 

 ferent opinions regarding the time when the lobster spawns and sheds its shell, the Government 

 resolved to get the opinion of scientists on this point, and requested Professor Eathke, Prof. C. 

 Boeck, and Professor Sars (at that time a clergyman) to make a report on the nature of the lobster. 

 Professor Rathke in his report said that, in his opinion, the pairing season of the lobster was o\ r er 

 before midsummer, and that the shedding of the shell took place later, but he thought at the same 



