Translation Series No.1211

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fishery, mentions the granting and sale of fishing rights in the inland
waters by the Order for the first time in the 13th century. It is also
stated that at the end of the 14th century vessels sailed from Danzig to
Schonen and Bornholm for the herring fishery. There is, however, no mention
of salmon fishery in the Baltic Sea.
On March 30, 1302 the preaching monks of Elbing received the
right to fish in the Frische Haff and in the ocean with one "keitel"
(trawl-fishing) each. Pkeitel" = an unwieldy Baltic Sea fishing boat,
? still in use today, trs1.1. This is the first reference to coast fishery.
• However, it appears not to have played any role in comparison with the
inland fishery.
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In 1409 the grand maéter of the Teutonic Order sent salmon to
the king of Hungary and to King Wenceslav of Bohemia in order to obtain
their help in a quarrel. In 1440 the salmon brings at least the tenfold
price of the pike. In 1621 it is prescribed that the salmon is not to be
given to merchants, but must be surrendered to the feudal fishmaster,
because it belongs exclusively to the feudal master. In 1641 . 220 salmon
had to be delivered through the fishmaster to the town of Elbing for the
supply of the notabllities. At that time the salmon does not eepear to
have been a fish in mass supply in East- and West-Prussia. The legend that
servants stipulated in their contraot not to receive salmon as food more
than once a week, which is current in the most divers fishing areas of the
world, certainly does not hold true here. This fish has rather stood in
high esteem until today and has alw«ys commanded a high price and has been
a food fish for kings, rather than for servants. •
Until the end of the 16th century only the fishery in inland
Waters is mentioned in the statutes. However, in 1751 N. C. Gisler reports..