i s !r f1w
to these, nets are much xised, partly drifting or floating (for herring
and mackerel), partly seine-nets (cod and herring). Only two kinds
of sweep-nets are mainly nsed, namely large herring-nets, long
walls of net, with Which the herring are shut in in the bays and
sounds, and the so-called ^«synkenoter», pieces of net 40 fathoms
square. This implement is managed by 4 boats at a time. I t is
laid flat upon the bottom, and is hauled up by ropes at all four
corners simultaneously.
The species that play- the most important part among Norwegian
fish all appear to be northern animal forms, and in accordance
with this, the' sea is far richer in the northern than in the southern
districts. In this way, about 80 per cent of the large fisheries
are north of Stad.
The largest Norwegian fisheries are, moreover, periodic, and of
such regularity that there are fisheries that have been carried on
for thousands of years, and yet the fish never seem to have failed
to appear at their regular season; e.g. the famous Lofoten fishery.
These periodic fisheries owe their existence to those species of fish
that make regular annual migrations in to the coast, especially
cod, herring, màcJcerel and scdmon. In 1897, there were fished.
about 61.5 million c o d ................value 12*/s million kr.
,- <■» , .42 • 4) gallons herring . . . » 77a
?:'.M 1.5 » mackerel . . . . • » V*
» 2.2 . Â. lbs. salmon & sea-trout _ » • 1
Thus the most important fisheries are:
THE COD-FISHERIES.
The cod (Gradus eallarias) seems to be à pronounced northern
fish, whose distribution in a southerly direction extends to the
Bay of Biscay. I t is supposed to live generally upon the great ocean
banks. Thence it migrates to the coast at regular seasons, viz. (1)
a spawning migration in the months January to April, during which
time great numbers of fish approach the shore in order to spawn,
the spawn floating on* the surface of the sea *, and (2) a migration
in search of food, during which thé cod, especially in the north
of the country, pursues great quantities of fish which .constitute
its food.' Among these fish, the so-called capelan (Mallotus villosus)
plays the most important part.