— 118 - 



The Atlantic Stream, which is characterized by its warmth and high salinity 

 (more than 35 "/oo, cf. Chart fig. 9, p. 129), tends mainly in a north-easterly direction 

 towards the south coast of Iceland. At Keykjanes the Atlantic Stream gives off a north- 

 going branch which has obtained the name Irminger Current and which runs along 

 the west coast of Iceland as far as the north-west corner, where it divides into two , one 

 part going westwards and the other going east. The latter branch is very powerful in the 

 summer and is of fundamental importance for the drift of the pelagic young fishes (cod, 

 haddock, see Chart IX, X) in an easterly direction along the coast of North Iceland. 



The polar water brought down by the Polar Stream may be characterized as cold 

 and of relatively low salinity (less than 35 "/oo), resulting from the fact that it comes 

 from the Polar Sea. To the west of Iceland (Denmark Straits) the East Greenland 

 Polar Stream runs southwards along the east coast of Greenland. Off Cape North (the 

 north-west promontory of Iceland) it approaches nearest to the Icelandic coast and on its 

 proximity depends the breadth of the Irminger Current. It is often accompanied by ice, 

 which very often and especially during storms from the west and north-west may be 

 carried in towards the land and blocks up the coast to the east (and partly also to the 

 south) of Cape North, where it usually appears first of all. 



To the east of Iceland we have the branch of the Polar Stream which has received 

 the name of the East Icelandic Polar Stream. This comes from the Polar Sea and 

 runs past the north-eastern promontory of Iceland, Cape Lânganes, off the east coast 

 until it meets with the warm Atlantic Stream, as a rule off the south-eastern part of the 

 coast (off the Horns). At different seasons and according to the varying strength of the 

 Atlantic Stream , it may go further or not so far in correspondence with the latter, but 

 the boundary between the two streams is always noticeable by a more or less abrupt 

 change in temperature and salinity, which is quite unique within the regions investigated 

 by us (cf. the figures pp.119, 120). 



On account of the subdivision of the streams as outlined above, we find the least 

 mixed waters, so far as the hydrographical conditions are concerned, on the south coast 

 (and most southern part of the west coast) and east coast. On the other hand, the north- 

 ern part of the west coast and the western part of the north coast may be called mixed 

 regions, where the temperature and salinity of the water vary comparatively a good deal 

 during the course of the year. 



For a representation of the temperature of the water on the different coasts of Ice- 

 land in the course of the year, 1 may refer the reader to the averages for the different 

 months given on p. 115. 



It is chiefly the temperatures in the spring months, especially April and May, 

 which are of interest for us here, as the majority of the gadoids reproduce during these 

 months at Iceland. I may here emphasize the difference between South Iceland and the 

 remaining coasts, pointing out at the same time however that this difference would have 

 been even more apparent if the temperature observations had been taken somewhat further 

 out to sea and not as was the case from land right on the shore (cf. what has been said 

 on p. 115). Thus, the figures for the cold periods of the year (winter, spring) at South 

 Iceland (Westman Isles) are in reality too low, which amongst other things appears 

 directly from a comparison of the numbers the observers on the Westman Isles have found 

 with those found at the same time by ships a little way of the islands (see Table p. 116). 



