CHAPTER I. 



THE COD FISHERY IN VARIOUS COUNTRIES. 



The cod fishery of Scotland — The Grand Bank fishery, Newfoundland — 

 Bultow fishing described — Preparing the fish — The Norway fishery — Lofo- 

 den fishery — Iceland — Consumption in the French colonies — Fishery at 

 St. Pierre and Miquelon. 



One of the most important of the sea-fisheries, whether 

 regard be had to the size of the fish or the number taken, 

 is that for the cod. This fishery is carried on not only 

 around the shores of the British Islands, but is prosecuted 

 on a very extensive scale on the shores of Newfound- 

 land and other coasts of the Atlantic, in Norway, Iceland, 

 and other quarters. 



The cod (Gadus morrhud) abounds between 40° and 

 60° N. lat. It is essentially a sea-fish, and is never met 

 with in fresh waters, preferring the depths of the sea, which 

 it only quits to spawn on the coasts or the banks. 



The following return for the last ten years shows the 

 average take of codfish in Scotland, at least as far as 

 regards the quantity cured : — 



Dried, 

 cwt. 



1867 ii9.638i 



1868 113,831 



1869 i3S,S8si 



1870 I4S,288J 



187 1 



119,030 



Pickled, 

 barrels. 

 10,819 



9.659 

 10,319 



9.945 

 9.283 



