36 The Commercial Products of the Sea. 



The produce of the Lofoden fisheries in 187 1 was 

 of khpfish 750,000 vogs, and of round-fish 340,000 vogs — 

 the vog being about 44 lbs. This was equal to nearly 

 24,000 tons of codfish. The above take of fish yielded 

 31,000 barrels of oil, and 25,000 barrels of roes. On an 

 average about 400 cod yield a barrel of liver, varying in 

 price from £1 to £1 6s. 8d. 



It appears that there is a great abundance of fish, 

 especially cod, off- the coast of Iceland, and that this fish is 

 a set-off for the scanty agriculture of the island. The cod 

 remain during winter near the coast, and the fishing com- 

 mences during the spring ; in summer, the fish are further 

 out in deep water. Owing to the smallness of the popula- 

 tion, the same persons attend to agriculture and to fishing. 

 Taking the whole coast collectively, the winter and spring 

 fishings give large fat cod, which are sold at the trading 

 ports, and afterwards prepared for export ; whereas the 

 summer fishings usually yield small cod, haddock, cole-fish, 

 and halibut, which are sorted and smoked for home con- 

 sumption. 



The Icelanders chiefly fish from open boats — seldom 

 from decked ones. Their boats so vary in size as to range 

 from two to 12 oars, with as many men as oars, and 

 one to act as steersman. The boats have all projecting 

 prows, are very easily rowed, and light in construction. 

 As a rule they carry only one lugsail. The larger boats 

 — from six to 12 oars — are employed in the deeper 

 fishings, often far out at sea. The fishing is effected by 

 means of small drift-nets, deep-sea lines, hand lines, or long 

 lines, according to the depth of water and the kind of fish. 

 Fishing with the drift-net generally ceases about the middle 

 of April, and is succeeded by the deep-sea or hand lines. 

 The hooks used are generally the same as the French, but 



