— 8o — 



The torsk and coalfish amongst others spawn in the Northern North Sea and the 

 newly hatched eggs of these species are only found there; later again the eggs with 

 embryos and the larvae of these species are found further south. 



From the current measurements of recent years it is also evident, that such a dispersion 

 of the eggs must take place. Typical tidal movements have been demonstrated in the 

 North Sea, the resultant movement of which is often different in , the different depths. 

 This might possibly be sufficient to separate the eggs in the one layer from those in the others. 

 For the rest, this dispersion is naturally very different in the different parts of the North 

 Sea. According to the results of the hydrographical investigations there seems to be a 

 circular movement in the central part, which must contribute to keep the eggs to this 

 part of the North Sea. In the western part, on the other hand, according to both older 

 and the recent investigations, there seems to be a tendency to carry the eggs into the 

 southern part of the North Sea. Here we find a movement in the direction towards the 

 Jutland Bank and along this towards the Skager Rak. 



In the Skager Rak the movements of the currents have already been long known 

 through the earlier Swedish investigations. A statement of the results of the current 

 measurements carried out in the year 1Q06 is given in the hydrographical summary (see 

 figs. lO and li). In this region great masses of water are in movement in a definite and 

 approximately constant current, which passes across the Skager Rak in a half-circle and 

 continues along the Norwegian west coast. This current without doubt has its origin in 

 the Southern North Sea and is reinforced on its course northwards by the outflowing 

 masses ot Baltic water. It is in this current that the greatest movements of the young 

 pelagic stages of the gadoids have been detected. We may refer here for example to 

 Damas' account of the drift of the cod, haddock and whiting and to the information given 

 by Knut Dahl on the influx of pelagic stages into the Skager Rak fjords of Norway. 



Whiting eggs were not found on the Romsdal Bank during the spawning period in 

 1906; until May no larvae or young fish occurred on the Bank itself. In the fjords only 

 10 larvae in all were found. At the end of June and July, however, the older pelagic 

 stages appeared in quantities on this Bank, almost always in company with jellyfishes, 

 and it was possible to follow their occurrence along the Norwegian west coast into the 

 Skager Rak and the North Sea. Thus, great movements over considerable areas of the 

 sea could be demonstrated here. 



The Romsdal Bank offered splendid opportunities for the observation of the drift 

 of the pelagic stages, partly on account of its small extent, partly owing to the strong 

 currents. We may refer here to the hydrographical summary, especially to fig. 7. 



In the Romsdal area most fishes, at least of the gadoids, spawn offshore on the 

 Bank. Fig. 25 shows the places where the gadoid eggs were found. The figure endeav- 

 ours to represent on broad lines the quantitative conditions as found at different places, 

 and it can be seen from this, that very few eggs occurred in the fjords and that the 

 great majority were found offshore on the Bank; as the eggs gradually develop, they 

 disappear from the banks. On the other hand, the larvœ were found in quantities in the 

 fjords, so that a considerable movement away from the banks into the fjords takes place. 

 It can scarcely be concluded, however, that the whole stock of the banks wanders into 

 the fjords. 



