watercourse (in certain cases one sixth) in the deepest place, shall be left free
from fishing appliances, unless special privileges to close the water-course have
been granted. The same is applicable to dam-buildings. This open central
channel in the water-course is called “the King’s artery” (kungsâdra).
With respect to the fishing economy, only general provisions are made in
the Fishing Law, while detailed regulations are left to the local governments in
the different läns, which have the right to issue special bye-laws for separate watercourses,
including the lakes, or for the whole of a larger or smaller portion , of
the län, after the hearing of the fishery-owners concerned and the fishery officials.
The ’decision of the authorities can be appealed from to the Government.
The “Law regulating Fishing Rights held in common” (Sw. Lag om ge-
mensamhetsfiske) which was passed by the Riksdag, 1913, aims at facilitating
uniform and organized management and utilization of fisheries which are held, in
sole possession (Sw. oskiftad; cf. above and p. 31), or which belong to two or
more persons.
Fishery Administration
has been gradually developed. During the eighteenth century, the care of the
fisheries devolved on the Board of Trade. Towards the end of the century, there
was appointed, during the great herring-period in Bohuslän, a “superintendentlof
the herring-fisheries”, but when this period came to a close, the post was left
unfilled, and the fisheries were long without an official of any sort. About 1350,
the authorities in Bohuslän appointed a superintendent of sea-fisheries o f file
province. At about the same time, the Academy of Agriculture appointed an
itinerant teacher in fish-culture, etc., and in ; 1864 a fishery intendant with
two assistants, who were paid by the State. In 1890, when the administrative
duties of the Royal Academy of Agriculture were transferred to a special department,
the Royal Board of Agriculture, one of its members was appointed, under
the title of Fishery Inspector, to take over the principal duties of the fishery
superintendent and to be chairman in debates on fishery matters in the Board.
The assistants became officials subordinate to the Board.
It was not before 1903 that the superintendence of the sea-fisheries of Göteborg
och Bohus Län was transferred from the Board of Trade to the Royal
Board of Agriculture. - A thorough re-organization of the administration of the
fisheries took place in 1904, when, instead of the two fishery assistants and the
teacher in fish-culture, it was determined to appoint six fishery intendants,: each
with his own district to supervize, a fishery assistant, a fishery engineer, and
two fishery stipendiaries. At the close of 191.2, the posts of the fishery inten-
dents were all filled by permanent officials. In 1885 a State fishery- or commercial
fish agency was established in London, which, in 1888, was transferred
to Berlin, and, in 1912, transformed into an agricultural expert’s office,
one of the duties of which is to promote the interests in Germany of the Swedish
fish export. Fishery instructors or fishery superintendents are found in the
service of most of the Swedish Agricultural Societies and in that of the Gott-
land County Council, who are paid by these corporations aided by a contribution
from the State grant for the support of the fishing industry.
Several other measures have been taken by the State during the last few
years for the promotion of the fisheries of Sweden. The loan-fund for the promotion
of the fisheries, towards which the Riksdag contributed 100 000 kronor
in 1892, has since that date increased to 2 767 250 kronor outstanding means
at the close of 1912, 2 100 900 kronor being to the account of Göteborg och
Bohus Län, and 666 390 kronor to that of the remaining läns. Since the
year 1907 inclusive, a sum of 750 000 kronor annually has been disbursed in
the form of loans. The rate of interest is 3-s % and the amortizing-period is
10 years at most. The loans, which are granted for the purchase of fishing-boats,
motors, and other fishing-gear, or for the erection of small establishments for the
utilization in various ways of the products of the fisheries, are negotiated by the
Agricultural Societies or the County Councils, who undertake the risk of the
loan, which is' granted by the Royal Board of Agriculture or, in the ease of
Göteborg och Bohus Län, by the Governor of the län. The fund in question
has been made full use of, and has greatly contributed to the development of
fisheries of late years, especially as regards the sea-fisheries.
In 1911, the Riksdag granted 2 788 000 kronor for the erection of fishing-
karbours and in the years 1912—14 a total sum of 210 000 kr. more for the
same purpose. Since the year 1905 a State grant has enabled the Royal Board of
Agriculture and the' Central Meteorological Office to issue storm-warnings to
the west and south coasts of the country, to the great benefit of the fisheries.
In 1914 the storm-waming-service was extended to the east cost. By a Royal
Ordinance, dated October 2, 1908, the State Insurance Office took measures
specially for the insurance of fishermen against accidents. From 1903 inclusive,
partly by means of a Sta te . grant and partly by means of grants from the
Agricultural Society and- the County Council of the Län, courses of instruction
in navigation have 'been arranged for the fishermen in Göteborg och Bohus Län.
From and including 1901, a yearly sum of 7 000 kronor has been granted for
division between the Agricultural Societies and the County Councils, on condition
that these corporation contribute an equal amount, the money to be awarded
as ¡bounties for killing seals and thus, in some -measure, to lessen the less
caused to the fisheries, by the animals; in question. Since the beginning of 1914
the: State alone pays those bounties^^' 4 kr. for each seal killed. As the number
of seals killed yearly off the coasts of Sweden amounts to about 7 000— 9 000
kr., the amount to be paid in these bounties will probably be about 28 000— 36 000
kr.:. In the international measures which have been taken in common, for the
investigation of the northern seas, for the benefit of the fisheries and for scienti-
fic'j purposes, and ' the initiative to which was given by Sweden in 1899, this
country has ever since taken an active part, and a special commission has been
appointed for the direction of the share of the investigations which has fallen to
the lot of Sweden. During the last few years this commission has received an
annual grant of 2 1 0 0 0 kronor, of which sum 5 100 kronor is to help to cover
the common international expenses. An annual grant of 34 000 kronor is made
for the investigating- and guard-vessel, specially built for the work, which has
been in use since 1905. For a great number of years back another Crown
vessel has also been stationed on the west coast for the protection and necessary
assistance of the fisheries there.
In 1908, the Riksdag granted a sum of 29 000 kronor for a vessel to be
employed in fishery experiments and investigations in the Baltic and the Swedish
lake? entrance to which can be obtained from the sea in question. An
annual grant of about 8.500 kronor is now made for the up-keep of the vessel
•— a large motor-boat.