Norfish Dutch North Sea Cod Fishery 1520–1810

Dutch sources distinguish between cod fishing in the North Sea and the fishing efforts off the coast of Iceland. The North Sea cod fishing effort for the Dutch was never at the scale of the Dutch herring fishery which at its peak at the beginning of the 17th century totalled nearly 80,000 metric tonnes per annum. In comparison, the Dutch North Sea cod fishery managed just over 21,000 metric tonnes at its peak in 1622.The explanation for this disparity may lie in the negotiating power of the two fleets during the Dutch Golden Age (final decade of the 16th century until the middle of the 17th century) and beyond. Herring fishers, who provided what was arguably one of the largest contributions to the Dutch coffers during the Golden Age made various pleas for financial assistance from the state which eventually culminated in a “premie” (premium) of 600 guilders per vessel per season for deep sea fishing, coupled with a one guilder bonus for each ton (close to one metric tonne) of herring caught. Shoreline herring fishers received a 200 guilders “premie”, while cod fishers operating off the coast of Iceland received 500 guilders “premie”. In stark contrast, the North Sea cod fishers do not appear to have received any form of bounty or bonus.

荷兰史料将北海鳕鱼捕捞与冰岛近海鳕鱼捕捞作业加以区分。荷兰的北海鳕鱼捕捞规模始终未达到荷兰鲱鱼捕捞业的量级——后者在17世纪初达到顶峰时，年捕捞总量接近8万公吨。相较而言，荷兰北海鳕鱼捕捞业在1622年达到顶峰时，年产量仅略超2.1万公吨。这种差距的成因或许可追溯至荷兰黄金时代（16世纪末至17世纪中期）及此后两大捕捞船队的议价能力。鲱鱼捕捞业堪称荷兰黄金时代国库收入的重要支柱之一，其从业者多次向国家申请财政援助，最终促成了深海捕捞作业每船每季600荷兰盾的“补贴金（premie）”政策，同时每捕捞1吨（接近1公吨）鲱鱼可额外获得1荷兰盾的奖金。近海鲱鱼捕捞者可获得200荷兰盾的补贴金，而在冰岛近海作业的鳕鱼捕捞者可获得500荷兰盾的补贴金。与之形成鲜明对比的是，北海鳕鱼捕捞者似乎从未获得过任何形式的补贴或奖金。