[11] EEL-FlSHlNG IN THE BALTIC. 425 



Aresclioag' the places where eel-tisberies are carried ou have been called 

 '' driliter'''' (Iruiii "r7nf^a"=to draw), whilst near Esperod, where the 

 ■' houiinor " are not bound together, thej^ are called "s«^ter" (from 

 '■'■ adtta^'' —to set). In the Sound it is not thought worth while to set 

 "hommor" except ou grassy bottoms, and the number ol" "hommor" is 

 therefore limited by the extent of these bottoms. Near RaS, only 4 

 "hommor" are, for this leasou, placed in a row one behind the other, 

 whilst near Helsiugborg 16 are set. Each succeeding- "hommor" is 

 placed right back of the preceding one, so that its long arm reaches iii) 

 to the "tub" of the preceding one. 



The eel "hommor" are a large apparatus, and are therefore compara- 

 tively expensive. Near Grissleham the price of a "homma" is 50 

 crowns [$13.40]. Near Oro (in the Kalmar district) the i^rice is 20 

 crowns [$5.30], and with the 'ropes belonging to it 30 crowns [$7.04]. 

 The large " hommor" used on the east coast of iScania and in Blekinge 

 cost 100 crowns [$26.80] apiece. On the south coast of Scania smaller 

 "hommor" are used, which cost 16 crowns [$4.28] apiece. Near Eaii a 

 "homma" costs 50 crowns [$13.40]. If, as is the case in many places, 

 as many as 30 "hommor" and more are placed in each row, they repre- 

 sent a very considerable capital. 



THE YIELD OE THE EBLFISHEKIES WITH "HOMMOR." 



It has been impossible so far to obtain full data relative to the yield 

 of the eel-fisheries along the entire stretch of coast where the fisheries 

 are carried on.* But even from the data which we possess it appears" 

 that the! eel-fisheries with "hommor" are of considerable economical 

 value. From the Stockholm district a few statistics are given, which 

 to some extent will show tlie value of these fisheries. Thus, at Byholma, 

 where 11 fishermen own 50 to 60 ''hommor," the total average yield per 

 annum was 3,720 pounds of eels. The eels are shipxjed to Stockholm, 

 and generally are sold at 10 crowns [$2.68] x>er "lispund" [=18.6 

 pounds]. The gross income from these fisheries, therefore, amounted to 

 2,000 crowns [$536]. On the southern part of the same coast, near 

 Landsort, 1,395 pounds of eels were caught last year, which, at the price 

 of 8 crowns [$2.14] per "lispund," would represent a sum of 600 crowns 

 [$100.80]. From the statistics given below^, taken last year by Mr. V. 

 Wahlberg, regarding the eel-fisheries on the coasts of Ostergotland and 

 Kalmar, it appears that the gross receipts from the "hommor" eel-fish- 

 eries were 17,010 and 27,900 crowns [$4,558.68 and $7,477.20], respect- 

 ively, the price per " lispund" being only 6 crowns [$1.60]. Some years, 

 however, the eels fetch 7 crowns [$1.87] per "lispund," and these prices 

 must be considered as, on the whole, somewhat below the average. 

 From Blekinge we have but few statistics. In 1878 there were in the 



* Special statistics of tLe Scania eel-fisberies have only beeu furnislied for the last 

 two years. Previous fishery statistics did not give separate statistics f<>r each fishery. 



