264 THE SEA FISHERIES 



In 1916 the steam trawlers made 3,919 voyages, aggregating 30,231 

 fishing days, but in 1917 only 248 voyages and 8,293 fishing days. 



In 1916 the steam trawler landings were 56,180 tons, value 

 £2,380,958, in 1917 only 14,377 tons, value £672,319. For several 

 of the later months of 1917 no Dutch steam trawler put to sea. In 

 the drift net fishery only three voyages were made by steam luggers, 

 compared with 286 in 1916, their catch was 20 tons, value £1,000, 

 compared with 11,696 tons, value £421,730 in the previous year. 



In 1917 the British Government endeavoured to prevent the 

 export of fish from HoUand to Germany, or at least to confine it 

 within very narrow limits. A number of Dutch herring boats 

 were seized in the North Sea, brought into Aberdeen, Kirkwall 

 and other East Coast ports and there detained. This led eventually 

 to an agreement between the Dutch owners and the British Govern- 

 ment, which may be summarised as follows : Germany was not to 

 receive more than 20 per cent of the Dutch catch, 20 per cent was 

 reserved for home consumption and the remaining 60 per cent 

 was to be sold to neutrals. The British Government was to pay a 

 bonus of 30s. to the Dutch fishing vessel owners for every case of 

 fish (115 kilos or 253 lb.) sold to neutrals. 



Italy 



The sea fisheries of Italy are administered by the Ministry of 

 Marine, except the deep sea fisheries, which come under the Finance 

 Minister. In 1910 there were 115,577 Italian fishermen engaged 

 in the sea fisheries. The deep sea fishermen are for the most part 

 Venetians, the coastal fishermen Sicihans. Sea fishermen comprise 

 roughly about one-third of the ItaUan seafaring population. The 

 produce of the sea fisheries was estimated at (in 1910) £960,468. 

 There were 27,422 fishing vessels with a tonnage of 75,872.^ 



Norway 



Before 1900 the fisheries were administered directly by the 

 Minister of the Interior. In that year the Fisheries Department 

 was created and made subordinate to the Department of Commerce. 

 The head of the Fisheries Office is called the Director of Fisheries. 

 The Fishery Budget provides for an annual expenditure of about 

 400,000 kroner (£22,500). All questions of an adniinistrative 

 nature or affecting legislation touching fishing interests are sub- 



1 For further detaUs see "Annuario statistico ItaUano suUe Condizione delja 

 marina mercantile Italiana al 31 Die 19- •, Relazione del Direttore Generale della 

 marina mercantUe" (Roma i9--). and Economic Conditions of the Fisheries m 

 Italy," by Guido Rossati. Bulletin United States Ftsh Bureau for 1908, p. 323- 

 Washington, 1910. 



