. Commercial fisheries review. Fisheries; Fish trade. 59 Norway (Contd.): Basking Shark Fishery The Norwegians have hunted the basking shark for centuries. It has always been for the liver primarily. In earlier times, how- ever, they also used the meat--both as human food (dried) and as fertilizer--and the skin for ropes and shoes. The liver oil was used as lamp fuel and for tanning. Today, it is re- fined into various qualities and most of it goes to the cosmetics industry. There the squalene (in which basking-shark liver oil is very rich) forms a vital part of beautifying creams and lotions.
. Commercial fisheries review. Fisheries; Fish trade. 59 Norway (Contd.): Basking Shark Fishery The Norwegians have hunted the basking shark for centuries. It has always been for the liver primarily. In earlier times, how- ever, they also used the meat--both as human food (dried) and as fertilizer--and the skin for ropes and shoes. The liver oil was used as lamp fuel and for tanning. Today, it is re- fined into various qualities and most of it goes to the cosmetics industry. There the squalene (in which basking-shark liver oil is very rich) forms a vital part of beautifying creams and lotions. The squalene is wonderful stuff, but the limited supply restricts the variety of uses. The liver oil is in high demand and brings a good price. The Fishery Today, the fishery is conducted by wooden boats of various types : 50-70feet, load 20-50 tons, make 8-10 knots, and use a small whale gun. Many fishermen go after both basking shark and small whale. The season starts in April-May, but some- times as early as mid-March large schools of basking sharks may be spotted. The peak is usually in June, and the season ebbs inAugust. Sometimes September may see good catches, but at that time most catchers have switched to other fisheries--shrimp t raw ling, or "helpers" to the big herring purse seiners. The basking shark is caught all along the coast of Norway, from the Kattegat to the Barents Sea, and on the banks of the North Sea. Some of our fishermen go as far as west and south of Ireland, much to the irritation of the Irish who sit on shore, waiting for the shark to come to them. The Shetland-Tampen area and the banks off Nordland and Troms are the main hunting grounds. Little Known About Shark's Habits Little is known about the habits of basking sharks. Two theories have been put forth re- garding their migrations. As they usually are first encountered off Ireland, then on the North Sea banks, and last off northern Nor- way, it was accepted that the fish spent the wint
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