348 
Part III. — Tenth Annual Report 
prohibited, and spearing interdicted between 1st November and 1st 
April. Probably in no country are the fishery regulations more complete 
and thorough than in Denmark, and the results will be watched with 
much interest. The fishery statistics deal with the fisheries inside the 
Skaw, those in the Limfjord, and those in the North Sea. The value of 
the Danish fisheries within the Skaw was 3,728,110 krbners, as follows 
(in krbners) : — Cod, 403,844; flounders (chiefly plaice), 1,157,277; soles, 
201,694; turbot, 13,385; brill, 18,212; mackerel, 44,680; herring, 
747,550 (in seines, 263,003; in drift-nets, 484,547); eels, 662,640; 
salmon and eels, 161,566 ; shrimps, 140,118. The lumpsucker (Cyclop- 
terus) is becoming more generally used ; the value of this fishery was 
9533 kroners in 1890. The number of men employed in these fisheries 
was 7615. In what is termed the great fishery in the Kattegatt, 202 
cutters, 133 boats, and 1362 men were employed, the value of the fish 
caught being 1,184,343 krbners, or an average of 870 kroners per man. 
Full statistics are given for the fisheries in the Limfjord. The Danish 
fishing fleet in the North Sea and Skagerrak consisted in 1890 of 487 
vessels, with a total tonnage of 4529; but it appears that statistics of the 
fish caught are not available. The Government has granted a considerable 
sum for loans to fishermen ; a new insurance system for fishing boats has 
been established, and a law made permitting fishermen to go to sea as 
' skipper ' without a certificate. Five cutters left this spring for Iceland 
to fish for halibut, and a biologist accompanies one of them, in order to 
study the fisheries in Iceland. 
The results of several important fishery investigations are given. The 
gunboat f Hauchs I made observations as to the abundance of the Baltic 
form of turbot (Botte?i) on the coasts of Bornholm, and the possibility of 
establishing a trawl-net fishery for them. This fish is caught with set 
nets, but it is much smaller than the turbot of the North Sea or Kattegat. 
Specimens of 5 or 6 lbs. weight are very rare, the average weight being 
about 1 lb. The inquiry showed that the nature of the bottom was not 
fitted for trawl-fishing. An investigation was also made into the marine 
bottom and surface fauna along the west coast of Jutland.* 
In connection with a grant of 25,000 krbners for fishery purposes, the 
necessity is pointed out of endeavouring to discover new grounds for the 
prosecution of Danish fisheries, since the fisheries in the Kattegat and 
North Sea are diminishing every year, whilst at the same time the number 
and size of the vessels are increasing (p. 222). In 1885 there were only 
32 decked vessels fishing for flat-fish in the Kattegat, but at the end of 
the year 1890-91 the number was 202. In 1885 the largest cutters were 
about 40 tons, while they are now built of 70 tons and more. The use of 
steam-capstans for the seine-nets has made it possible to carry on the 
fishery in the Kattegat with greater energy than before. It is also 
pointed out that while previously Germany formed the best market for 
Danish fish, the Germans are now in a position to supply themselves 
with flat-fish ; and that, from the Weser alone, thirty steamers go to fish 
in the North Sea. 
A long account is given of the London International Conference of 
1890. Dr C. G. Job. Petersen gives the results of the investigations 
made in connection with the Danish Biological Station, dealing chiefly 
with the biological relations of the fish in the Holbaek Fjord. Probably 
the most important is his work on the spawning time, rate of growth, 
maturity, food, &c, of a large number of fishes ; but it is impossible to 
* The gunboat ' Hauch ' has continued the exploration of the grounds within the 
Skaw, and an elaborate report has been published relating to the hydrography, and a 
special account also given of the Polyzoa. 
