— 58 — 
c) “Loddegarn” (as used for Mallotus) (from knot to knot).... 1.3 em. 
d) Nordland fat herring net — ee COR 
e) — — a A 
f) — — a D 
g) Large herring net — Alan SOS 
These implements were found to be well suited to the purpose of the investigations. 
The trawl took all sizes of herring and sprat down to about 10cm. in length, smaller 
sizes only occasionally and in quite small numbers. The drift nets took all sizes down 
to 7—8 em. It is evident, however, that the hauls made with these nets cannot, at any 
rate in the case of the drift net, claim to be representative of the stock on the grounds. 
Although I believe the sizes of net selected to be suitable for the capture of the different 
size groups present in the North Sea in summer, there will no doubt have been individ- 
uals on the grounds which could not be taken in the nets. Still less can the hauls be 
considered as representative of the stock in regard to its composition in point of size, 
or for the quantitative occurrence of the different sizes. The obtaining of such represen- 
tative hauls is a far more difficult task than that which I had set before me at the 
commencement of the investigations, viz, to obtain a first survey of the localities in which 
the different sizes of herring occur in the North Sea as a whole. 
In the chart shown in Fig. 34 an attempt has been made indicate the results ob- 
tamed by these investigations. The chart is only intended to illustrate the catches of 
younger fish, the three smallest groups. By 0 group I understand, as stated in the ex- 
planation of the figure, herrings whose scales have as yet no winter ring. Groups I and 
II are those with one and two winter rings respectively. (The investigations were, as 
already mentioned, carried out in summer and autumn)*). 
The chart shows depth lines indicating 400, 200, 80 and 40 metres depth. Each 
of the stations where the fine-meshed trawl was used is marked with a dot, those where 
the drift net was employed being indicated by a cross. 
At the negative stations, 1. e. those where no fish of the three youngest groups, 
(0—I1) were taken, a circle has been drawn about the dot or cross, and the experiments 
made during autumn, (October—November) are shown by a partial thickening of the 
circle. 
At all the positive stations a square has been drawn, one side being thickened 
for autumn investigations, in addition to which, a figure indicates the size group there 
found, 0—II naturally to mean that all three groups were present. The chart contains 
no statements as to the size of the hauls, or the quantitative occurrence of the size groups. 
The first conclusion at which we arrive on consideration of this chart is that all 
stations north of the 80 metre line are entirely negative. In the northernmost part of 
the North Sea, or at depths of over 80 metres, no herring of the smallest sizes were thus 
taken. The only exception is perhaps the Skagerak or the Jutland Bank, where fish 
of both I and II groups were at least taken close by, on or immediately beyond the 80 
metre line. 
In the waters between the 80 metre line and the coast, several positive stations 
will be observed. These form, moreover, a distinct series, in such a manner that the the 
*) See note p. 54. 
