[9] THE HERRING FISHERIES OF SWEDEN. 737 



during the eleventh, sixteenth, seventeenth, and eighteenth centuries, 

 we get a regular series of herring periods, alternating with intervals 

 when no herring came near the coast; and we are justified in explain- 

 ing this secular periodicity from natural causes. 



I have gathered many important data relative to the herring periods 

 during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, thus, e. </., that during 

 the seventeenth century the fisheries first came to a close in the south- 

 ern part of the coast, and that during the eighteenth century the fisheries 

 commenced in the northern part of the coast, &c. 



I have studied all the old authors on the subject, and have arrived at 

 the conclusion that as earl}^ as the first half of the seventeenth century 

 people knew that these fisheries were secular and i)eriodical. I think 

 I have also succeeded in showing, in opposition to Boeck's views, 

 that the Bohusliin herring fisheries alternate with the spring herring 

 fisheries on the west coast of Norway, so that these two fisheries never 

 flourished at one and the same time, but that they commenced . on one 

 coast when they came to a close on the other, and vice versa; and I have 

 finally been able, guided by historic data, to predict the near approach 

 of rich herring fisheries at a time when Mr: von Yhlen j)roclaimed in 

 the newspapers that no such fisheries could be possUily looked for. 

 I have also by my study of the comparative history of the herring 

 fisheries been enabled to furnish important contributions towards a 

 more correct view of the actual importance of the old Scania and Dutch 

 herring fisheries, and have pointed towards a possible secular periodi- 

 city in the Dutch herring fisheries in the Zuider Zee and the Scotch 

 herring fisheries in the Firth of Forth and the Moray Firth. 



As regards the statistical part of my work, its very nature confined 

 it to the gathering of the data which are absolutely necessary forjudg- 

 ing of the value of the present Bohuslan herring fisheries, and to the 

 study of such statistics relative to foreign fisheries as might aid in 

 throwing more light on the subject in hand. 



3. Various methods pursued in the herring fisheries. 



Of far greater interest to the general public, and much better known, 

 have been my labors relative to the methods of carrying on the herring 

 fisheries on the coast of Bohuslan. The different views as regard the 

 best method of carrying on these fiisheries have led to a lively inter- 

 change of opinions, in which ray views have met with most favor, al- 

 though they could not afford the fishermen any pecuniary assistance 

 from the public fund. All I have aimed at was to influence public opin- 

 ion and thus to exercise a good influence on the development of the 

 fisheries, which unfortunately cannot be said of the endeavors of my op- 

 Ijonents. 



As I had no means of introdncing by way of experiment new fishing 

 apparatus and methods, I had to confine myself to point out, principally 

 H. Mis. 07 47 



