is pursued for the most part in deep-water (80—200 fathoms), and
has developed in an especial manner in the Romsdal county,
Yesteraalen and Finmarken, particularly on the banks outside
Romsdal. Decked boats are employed here, cutters and even small
steamers. This fishery was originally begun by Swedish North-Sea-
fishermen. Its development mky be seen from the following survey:
1862 1873 1883 1890
Vessels, Norwegian 6 H 21
» . Swedish . . . 9 12 1
Fishermen..................................... 196 233 274 707
Ling taken ( c w t ) .......................... 6,690 24,000 27,000
Valne of raw produce . . . kr. 46,800 . 143,300.; 165,000 250,000
THE HERRING FISHERIES.
Next to the cod fisheries, the herring fisheries are the most
important. They, too, are carried on all along the coast. In olden
times the herring was only used fresh or dried, and then exclusively
for home consumption; but after the invention of herring
salting ( b y the Dutchman B e u c k e l , in 1 4 1 6 ) , a herring fishery
was also developed in Norway for exportation, and in the year
1 8 9 7 , 2 9 . 6 million gallons of herring were exported, their value
being kr. 1 8 ,0 0 0 ,0 0 0 .
The herring fisheries have a still more variable character than
the cod fisheries, and some years have even been altogether wanting.
These variations have so affected the economy of entire districts,
that good and bad times, as a whole, have“ been dependent upon
them. I t is a widely-spread belief that there are regular «herring
periods», with good and bad herring years. Such periods have
even been set at a certain number of years (about 3 0 ) . As an
instance of how great the variations can be in the profits of a
single fishery, it may be stated that the so-called spring herring
fisheries in certain years of the herring period 1 8 4 0— 7 0 , could
OQeupy as many as 3 0 , 0 0 0 men, and yield as much as 2 0 million
gallons, and then sink down to almost nothing. In recent years,
the herring seems to be once more returning.
The herring frequents our coasts only during short periods of
the year. Suddenly, as if by a stroke of magic, the sea becomes