67
The same year the crews of trawlers, other steam ships, sailing ves-
sels, large motor ships, small-sized motor boats, and rowing-boats
averaged respectively: 25, 16.5, 15, 10.3, 4.3, and 4.1 men each,
The development of the fisheries has greatly influenced the distri.
bution of the population and is the main reason for the migration of
the people from the rural districts to the fishing stations and villages
on the coasts. There has thus been a large increase in the number of
persons employed in fishing and the various industries subsidiary there-
to, The numerical total of those dependent on the fisheries for their
living was:
1880 . . . .
901 . . ,
i920 . . . .
3700 persons, or 12 per cent. of the population
9 000 i - 11 - =
8 700 —_ - 20 —- —-
THE COD FISHERIES
The majority of the decked vessels are occupied in fishing cod and
cod-like species, a trade which is also followed almost exclusively by
the rowing and motor boats. In 1927 one hundred and thirty eight
decked vessels were engaged in cod fishing; 57 in cod and herring
fishing, while 68 were employed in the herring fisheries exclusively.
The chief fishing is done during the first 4—5 months of the year
(winter fishing season) off the south coast of Iceland, and vields as a
rule about three-fifths of the total catch of the year.
The following figures illustrate the catch of cod and ced-like species
(in thousands of fish) during the period 1897—1927.
|897—1900 average
19011905
1906 —1910
1911 —1915
1916 —1920
19211925
1926 . . .
1027 -
Cod
1639
Small cod
1 ME
5 02
1227
pg:
* 106
SR 3198
2717 8907
14893 10318
18 067 15755
Haddock
1972
Total
289 14 897
707 17031
126 18 094
KN) 340 22828
149 28 J41 24 092
2005 194 1903 25726
1217 130 1492 28 050
2210 159 2 909 39100
The quantity of fish landed has thus been steadily increasing during
the whole of this period. This is due not only to the constantly in-
creasing number of ships, but also and especially to the replacement of
the old types of vessels by steamers, steam trawlers and motor ships.
