324 BRITISH FISHERIES 



are familiar on this side of the North Sea. Out- 

 side the coast of Norway, and at a distance of only 

 a few miles from land, there is a great submarine 

 depression where the depth is never less than loo 

 fathoms, and, quite near to the site of the Flodevigen 

 hatchery, is in one place as much as 450 fathoms. 

 This Norwegian depression isolates a narrow strip 

 of fishing ground from the relatively shallow- 

 water fishing grounds of the Skagerack and North 

 Sea, and may possibly form a barrier across which 

 the more stationary fishes like the cod and plaice 

 find it difficult to pass. Although restricted in 

 area, this coastal region, because of the numerous 

 fjords, bays, and inlets on the mainland, and the 

 islands which fringe the latter, and the character of 

 the sea-bottom, forms an excellent fishing ground, 

 and one having the great practical advantage of 

 being accessible to the fishermen in all weathers. 

 Strong tides and currents are absent, and fry planted 

 in these waters are not likely to be carried out to 

 sea. But, on account of its very limited extent, 

 this fishing ground is very easily over-fished, and, 

 according to Dannevig, this is what has happened 

 during the last fifty years or so. It therefore 

 presented an area where the prosecution of sea-fish 

 culture was likely to be attended with success, 

 and, according to Dannevig, this success is beyond 

 question. The planting of cod fry for many years 

 was associated by him, and by a number of fishermen, 

 with the increase of cod of the smaller sizes. Not 



