SEA-FISHERIES LABORATORY. 



211 





Sondeled Fiord. Helle Fiord. 



Larvae i n -, f 1 Larvae 

 liberated in | _~ ,l a ,J 6 liberated in 

 the spring. | ljei UdU1- [ the spring. 



Cod fry 

 per haul. 



Sept.-Oct.,1903 



None 4-8 j None 



1-9 



July- Aug., 1904 



33-5 

 millions 



33-7 



None 



10-9 



Sept.-Oct., 1904 



15-1 



6-5 



July-Aug., 1905 



33 

 millions 



11-4 



10 

 millions 



1-5 



Sept.-Oct., 1905 



11-5 



7-5 



It is obvious that the number of cod fry obtained 

 per haul varies both in the different years, and also in 

 different seasons, independently of hatching operations, 

 to such an extent, that no safe conclusions can be drawn 

 from the above facts alone. 



Previous experience in this country had shown 

 similar facts, and from the beginning of the work, the 

 Fishery Board had pointed out the necessity of investi- 

 gations concerning the natural spawning of the cod, the 

 occurrence of natural larvae, the hydrography of the 

 fiords in question, and finally the occurrence of littoral 

 fry in the neighbouring fiords where no fry had been 

 liberated. By order of the Board I undertook, in the 

 years 1904 and 1905, such investigations apart from my 

 participation in Mr. Dannevig's experiments. The 

 occurrence of littoral cod fry was examined in the neigh- 

 bouring fiords : Sandnesfiord and Stoleiiord (see Chart, 

 fig. 3). The seine employed was 38 metres long. Depth 

 in the middle 4-5 m., in the points 1*75 m. Mesh, 16 

 meshes per foot (Norw.). A piece of net 5 mm. between 

 the knots, 10*5 m. long, was inserted in the middle of the 



