— 17 — KNUT DAHL 



As rencards Llio Sondelod Fjurd llie l'uHüwiiig l'acts liave been asceiiaiued: lu Lliu 

 autumn 1903 a rich cod-fishing took place. As regularly happens this fishing was 

 interrupted iiy the cold driving' the lish down into deeper water, and by llie freezing of llie 

 fjord. In the spring U)04 the ice covered the Sondeled Fjord until the middle of April, 

 and as regards the southern branch of the fjord until the end of April. During winter 

 and early spring the cod were practically unmolested and considerable numbers spawned 

 as well before as after the ice broke up. Then the short spring fishing began. All 

 the fishermen agreed that this year great numbers of cod were present. 



In the autumn I'.KM- good fishing again occurred and very satisfactory catches of 

 cod were made, until the cold weather appeared and the fjord froze. In the spring 

 iy05 the ice broke up as early as in February, a very rare occui'rence, and the good 

 trap fishing which then took place showed considerable numbers of spawning cod to be 

 present. 



By means of these facts it is possible within certain limits to form an idea of the 

 numbers of cod which spawned in a single winter. 



In the spring 1905 the 6 fishermen who sent me their returns obtained the following 

 weight of cod in the Sondeled Fjord. By means of the above analysis of the size of 

 cod from the traps the number of cod captured may be calculated: 



5/3— 1«/3 1905 2205 kilos 6000 cod 



i8/3_2o/5 1905 2282 — 6000 — 



Total spring 1905 4487 kilos 12000 cod 



. The spawning commenced this year in the first half of March and even in February. 

 It is therefore safe to say that a very considerable number of the fish caught in the 

 latter half of the period had spawned before capture. Also a portion of the fish captured 

 in the first half of the period had spawned before they were caught. 



In the same spi-ing 433 cod from traps were marked, and liberated in the S0ndeled 

 Fjord in the beginning of April. Of these marked fish 71 were recaptured in the first 

 year after liberation viz. 16— 17''/o. Of these 71 recaptured, 55 (or about 12-5 "/o) were 

 taken within 2 months after liberation. 



The results of this experiment cannot of course be regarded as a definite answer 

 to the question in what degree the fish stock is affected by fishery. Certainly far 

 greater and more detailed experiments should be undertaken for that purpose. But so 

 much is evident, that at least a very considerable proportion of the stock of cod is 

 not affected by fishing. 



Now the above-mentioned catch of roughly 12000 cod, which 6 fishermen obtained 

 in the Sondeled Fjord during the spring of 1905 was not the whole yield of the fjord. 

 It was only the bulk of the quantity fished for export. The quantity of cod taken by 

 others, not wholly professional fishermen, in the fjord and sold in Ris0r is unknown. 

 Also the cod fished by the inhabitants of the S0ndeled Fjord and used in their house- 

 holds are not accounted for. 



If we compare these facts with the above-mentioned marking experiments we will 

 clearly understand that the number of cod which spawned even in the small Sondeled 

 Fjord during the spring of 1905 must be estimated in tens of thousands. 



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