S60 EEPOET OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [2] 



catch amounted to 34,000. Seven vessels from Aalesund were en- 

 gaged in these fisheries, with a total crew of 56 men, their tonnage 

 varying from 21 to 103. The individual shares of the crews varied 

 from 135 to 400 crowns [$36.18 to $107.20]. Besides cod there were 

 caught haddock, halibut, wolf-fish, sea-perch, torsk, codfish (some un- 

 usually large), and ray. Some fishermen had taken herring nets along 

 and caught a sufficient number of herring for bait aud for their own 

 food. From the information received it appears that it took about 

 1,200 cod for a ton of liver. The fishing season lasted from the middle 

 of June till the beginuing of September. Both on the east and west 

 coasts of Iceland the fisheries were occasionally hindered by the ice. 



The Finmark whale fisheries.— In East Finmark the following 

 !N"orwegian vessels were engaged in these fisheries : From Tonsberg, 

 8 vessels, with 221 men; from Sandefiord, 5 vessels, with 144 men; 

 Laurvig, 1 vessel, with 30 men ; Arendal, 1 vessel; Bergen, 1 vessel, with 

 28 men; Trondhjem, 1 vessel, with 28 men ; and Christiania, 3 vessels, 

 with 75 men. The engines on these vessels were generally 30 horse- 

 power, some 15, and a few 40, The above 20 vessels were stationed as 

 follows : 2 in Vadsoe, where there is a guano factory, 3 in Jarfiord, 1 in 

 Pasvig, 1 in Madvig, 2 in Kobbolmfiord, 1 in Kiberg, 3 in Svartnaes, 1 

 in Smelroren, 2 in Syltefiord, 2 in Engelviken, 1 in Stegelntes, and 1 in 

 Yardoe. 



The following was the result of the fisheries : At Vadsoe, 24 whales, or 

 12 per vessel; in the South Varanger district (Jarfiord, Pasvig, Mad- 

 vig, and Kobbolmfiord), 124 whales, or 18 per vessel ; in the Vardoe 

 district (Kiberg, Svartntes, Smelroren, and Syltefiord), 178 whales, or 

 26 i^er vessel; and at the island of Vardoe (Engelviken, Stegenaes, and 

 Vardoe), 72 whales, or 18 per vessel; making a total of 407 whales, or 

 20 j)er vessel. Most of the whales are caught 7 or 8 Norwegian miles 

 (about 4.7 English miles each) from the coast. The fisheries commenced 

 in the beginning of April and came to a close about the middle of Au- 

 gust. One Russian vessel was engaged in these fisheries, and was sta- 

 tioned in the Mokkafiord. It caught 22 whales. Next year 2 more 

 Eussian vessels will be eogaged in the whale fisheries. 



In West Finmark 3 vessels were engaged in the whale fisheries, all 

 from Tonsberg; 2 of these were stationed at Sorvaer and 1 in the Tu 

 fiord. The total catch was 99 whales. 



The average value of the train-oil is 500 crowns [$134] per ton, or 

 $13.40 j)er keg of 102 kilograpis net, from which should be subtracted 

 for freight 3 or 4 crowns [80 cents to $1.07]. 



The Finmark whale fisheries owe their origin to M. Svend Foyn, of 

 Tonsberg, who in 1864 made the first attempts near Vardoe and in the 

 Warangerfiord, and continued them in 1865, 1866, and 1867. In 1866 he 

 caught nothing, and in 1867 only one whale, while in 1868 he caught 30. 

 In the following year he sent out 2 vessels, which, however, caught only 



