408 



Part III. — Seventh Annual Bcport 



on the coast to fish by means of eel-pots, and the right of fishermen to 

 ground for repairing and drying their gear. Special exemptions by the 

 minister who has charge of the fisheries are provided for. 



In the Cattegat, the flounder fishing is chiefly affected by the close 

 time from 1st June to 15th August, and eel, shrimp and pike-fishing by 

 the close time in southern waters. 



RUSSIA. 



Tho knowledge in this country of the fisheries of Russia is very meagre. 

 A publication by Wilhelm Diirr refers to tho first Russian Exhibition of 

 the Russian Union for fishing and fish breeding. The objects of the 

 Exhibition were: — (1) To make clear the present position of tho Russian 

 fisheries ; (2) to make known to merchants and consumers the various 

 fishery products ; (3) to show the usual method of fish breeding and the 

 preparation of the products of the fisheries in the different parts of the 

 empire ; (4) to awaken a general interest in skilful methods of fishing 

 and economical pond management. The pamphlet also contains an 

 account of the exhibits interspersed with some information on the 

 fisheries of the different parts of Russia. In the waters of Russia — river, 

 fresh and salt water lakes, and the sea — there are, according to Dr 0. A. 

 Grimm's Fishing and Hunting on Russian Waters, 288 different species 

 of fish, including species of sturgeons, salmon, mackerel, pike, eel, herrings 

 (Caspian Sea herring, Black Sea herring, Baltic or genuine herring), 

 sardines, anchovies, pilchards, &c. In 1887, 239,487,830 Caspian 

 herrings were landed, and in 1888, 153,289,800. From Astrachan there 

 is exported annually upwards of 17 million Russian lbs. of fish and fish 

 products. From the Caspian, Ural, and Lower Volga the yearly product 

 is 28 million Russian lbs. of fish, worth 35 million roubles. The Azov- 

 Sea produces annually G million Russian lbs. ; the Black Sea 100,000 

 roubles worth ; the White Sea 1,400,000 Russian lbs. ; the Baltic 1 

 million roubles worth. The Inland Seas yield 7 million lbs. The yearly 

 produce of the Russian European fishery can be reckoned at not less than 

 40 million Russian lbs. A congress, extending over six days, was held to 

 discuss fishery questions, at which delegates from the Volga, Ural, Don, 

 Azov Sea, Oral Sea, and Black Sea took part. 



In view of the frequent occurrence in Russia of cases of fish poisoning 

 from the using of raw fish for food, and the fatal results of those cases, 

 especially frequent among the population living on the banks of the 

 fishing rivers, a sum of 5000 roubles is offered as a prize for an investiga- 

 tion of this subject. The following points must be investigated: — (1) 

 To determine, by means of accurate experiment, the physical and chemical 

 nature of fish poison ; (2) to investigate, experimentally, on living 

 subjects, the effects of fish poison on the heart, the circulation the 

 digestive organs, and the nervous system : (3) to determine the rate of 

 the absorption of the poison in the digestive system ; (4) to discover 

 and describe the signs by which it is possible to distinguish bad from 

 wholesome fish ; (5) to determine the means of preserving fish from the 

 development in them of poisonous matter ; (6) to determine antidotes and 

 the means of giving medical assistance to those suffering from the effects 

 of fish poison. The period for the solving of the problems is fixed at five 

 years. 



