23 — APPENDIX J: DENMARK 



Before going into the details of these occurences, a few words may be said regarding iViodes of «shing 

 the modes of fishing. As might be gathered from the species taken, the chief method is 

 a form of trawling. The usual forms of trawling, that is with the beam or otter-trawl, 

 are prohibited in Danish waters and though two steam -trawlers were employed but a few 

 years ago for the deep sea fishing, they were withdrawn in 1901. The method commonly 

 used, is that of the "suurrevaad" or so-called plaice-seine. This is practically the same as 

 a ground or long-haul seine, and is used as such in North Jutland near the Skaw, but in 

 the offshore fishing is worked from a cutter instead of the shore. The hauling-in ropes 

 are of great length, each 600—1200 fathoms, and the net with wings ca. 80 fathoms long, 

 is thus able to cover a considerable extent of ground. In shooting, the cutter is usually 

 anchored and its small boat carries out the net, which finally is hauled in on the cutter. 

 According to an old account, otter-boards used to be attached to the net and the cutter 

 towed it when the weather was favourable, exactly like the otter-trawl of the present 

 day. The size of mesh is about 2 inches from knot to knot in the wings and bag. From 

 the size of mesh and the mode of working, it will be understood that this net is 

 specially useful for the capture of flatfish, such as plaice. Of recent years, the efficiency of 

 this mode of fishing has been enormously increased by the introduction of motor power, 

 not only to the cutters but also to the small boats which shoot the net. 



Another form of net much used for plaice, is the fixed gill-net, i. e. a net similar to 

 a drift-net but anchored on the bottom. The size of mesh varies; 'in the southers parts where 

 the plaice are smaller it is about 2V2 inches from knot to knot, in the northern parts, 

 3 inches. The meaning of the net is, that the fish should become enmeshed, and quantities 

 of plaice are taken in this way, especially in the Kattegat. 



Hooks and lines, and especially long lines, are used for the cod and haddock fishery 

 along the coast from the Skaw to Esbjerg. 



Drift-nets are employed for the capture of herring and mackerel, but the value of 

 these species landed on the west coast, shows that the fishery is of relatively small im- 

 portance. 



Returning now to the course of the fishing on the west coast of Jutland, the following Progress of 

 table of the quantities of the chief species landed, together with the previous table showing ^ôlstTf ^"^»1 

 the values, shows how the fishing has altered during the last ten years. In 1895, the main 

 products of the fishery were haddock and cod, and the main fishing was carried on in the 

 Skager ßak and north of Horns Reef. Previous to that time, Esbjerg, which is situated 

 in the south of Jutland on the North Sea and is the main fishing port outside the Skaw, 

 was of little importance as a fishing centre, having only 18 boats, mostly small, in the 

 beginning of 1894. The fishing also was mostly with hooks and lines. At the end of 

 1895, the boats numbered 30, of which 26 were welled and 19 had auxiliary motor. The 

 "snurrevaad" was now practically the only method of fishing used. At the end of 1898, 

 the Esbjerg fleet consisted of 46 large cutters, all provided with well and auxiliary motor. 

 In the beginning of 1903, the number was 55. The average gross tonnage of the boats 

 in 1894 was 12-7, in 1898, 31-6 and in 1903, 37-6. 



This table shows further that the fishermen have really concentrated their attention speciaiizaüo,, 



,^ 1 ' n 1 ^^ '^^ plaice 



on the plaice fishery. „^^ery 



The quantities of cod and haddock captured in 1902 and the years immediately 

 preceding, are less than 30 »/o of what they were in 1895, whilst the quantities of plaice 



