APPENDIX G _ 40 — 



daily requirements of the few dwellers on the coast. On the other hand, the fisheries of Fin- 

 mark are carried on in the summer, to the north of this region where the spawning places are. 

 And at this time and place, both large quantities of medium-sized cod as well as large spent 

 fish are taken. It has been shown by the Norwegian and Russian research-steamers how the 

 cod-shoals in the Barents Sea, migrate in early summer with the advancing warm Atlantic 

 water-masses towards the east and later, in autumm or winter, return again. Many years ago, 

 G. 0. Sars described how the fish-shoals undertake great migrations in the region between Spitz- 

 bergen and Norway, whilst pursuing their food, especially the Arctic Mallotus villosus. Above 

 all is the result important, that the medium-sized cod (ca. 50 cm.) occur nowhere along the 

 Norwegian coast in such quantities as just where none of them are born. 



Schmidt has now found the same at Iceland. Here, the greatest fisheries take place 

 in the summer and autumn on the north and east coasts, where fish of 50 — 70 cm. especially 

 are caught in great quantities, though all are born on the south or west coast of the island. 



These migrations undergo great variations from year to year, and it is just these changes 

 which give us an insight into their origin. Thus, in the Norwegian North Atlantic expedition, 

 G-. 0. Sars described how the cod sought the fjords and coasts of Spitzbergen in great 

 shoals in the seventies of last century, and an important catch of fish was then made. He 

 relates that all the cod taken were large, adult fish and that the smaller occurred nowhere. 

 From this he concluded, that the cod must have been born on Norwegian coasts and wandered 

 across there. During his investigation of the fjords of Spitzbergen in 1901, Hjort found not 

 a single large cod. The seal-hunters who occasionally engaged in fishing, had the same 

 experience. It is not yet possible to answer the question with certainty, where the large shoals 

 which frequent the coastal banks at the spawning time, migrate afterwards. Henking puts 

 forward the hypothesis for the North Sea, that the large cod which spawn in winter on the 

 coastal banks, are pelagic in summer over the deeper North Sea banks. Hjort's investigations 

 in the years 1900 — 1903, prove that the cod are not confined Only to the coastal banks but 

 may migrate also far into the Norwegian Sea. Both west from the Lofotens and north from 

 the Fseroe Isles, large cod have been taken on floating long-lines and with drift-nets; the 

 bottlenose whale fishers and the herring fishermen have also reported upon similar catches. 



. To the east of Iceland (66° 15' N, 12° 13' W) over 640 m., S chmi dt obtained a considerable 

 number of cod at 34 — 252 m. from the surface, viz. 50 specimens of a length of 75 — 110 cm. 

 (none smaller) on 300 hooks. 



It always appeared during these captures of pelagic cod, that they were following pelagic 

 animals, herring, Mallotus villotus or Crustacea. As it has now been shown, that such pelagic 

 animals as herring and ink-fish wander into the Norwegian Sea in considerable quantities, it 

 does not seem beybnd possibility that the pelagic wanderings of the cod have their own 

 significance. 



On the other hand, it must be specially remarked that only by further observations and 

 above all, by experiments with marking of the cod, can trustworthy information be obtained 

 concerning the sphere and extent of the migrations, and especially of the pelagic wanderings. 



The Committee A will accordingly endeavour to carry out such experiments as the oppor- 

 tunity oifers, and these have already begun in various countries, without sufficient results 

 as yet however, that mention can be made of them here. In our opinion, the most important 



