APPENDIX G 



— 34 



the distribution of the quite small young fish in the sea, Nr. II in June and July 1901, 

 Nr. Ill in August to September 1900. 



In June to July 1901, the small fish at a size of from 0.9 to 3 cm, could be obtained 

 everywhere from the coast to the slope shown by curve III. Along with them were found 

 numerous larvae of such animals as spawn in the neighbourhood of the coast, chiefly small 

 medusoids and jelly fishes. 



It is seen that curve II lies distinctly beyond the coastal banks, and curve III, 

 showing the distribution of the young fish in August to September 1900, even more so. The 

 young cod had then a size up to 9.5 cm. ; they were distant from the coast as far as to 

 12(1 nautical miles, and were found along with larvae of animals of the coast. Whilst the 



small cod are distributed 

 fairly evenly in June, and 

 their ability to swim is 

 only used in floating, they 

 begin to collect into small 

 shoals in July and can 

 be observed in quantities 

 on the coastal banks, where 

 they are chased by preda- 

 tory fishes (especially the 

 green cod, Gadus virens). 

 At this time also, they 

 begin to seek the coast 

 and the bottom, and still 

 more in autumn when there 

 is everywhere a great 

 movement of the water- 

 masses and of floating ani- 

 mals towards the coasts. 



From consideration of 

 the three curves, it appears 

 that the larvae and young fish are carried away from the coast in the course of the summer, 

 and the hydrographical observations carried on at the same time, showed that this movement 

 is connected with a movement of the coastal water. 



The investigation of the distribution of the first bottom-stages revealed the important and 

 interesting result, that the small pelagic fishes are carried by these currents, not only away 

 from the coast, but also in a northerly direction along the coast. For this reason, we find 

 nowhere on the Norwegian coast so many small cod on the beach as just in the northern part 

 of Norway, in Finmark, where they can be taken in hundreds in summer along the region 

 of the strand, with fine-meshed nets. Yet no eggs or at most but a few, are spawned there; 

 the small cod of Finmark are thus not born at that place but much further to the south. 



The investigations of Joh. Schmidt at Iceland agree with these results. In June the 

 pelagic young cod swarm in great quantities in the Icelandic coastal waters, but only on the 



Distribution of the floating 



eggs and young of the 



cod at different periods of 



the year 



{ 



Pig. 6 



