Today’s article is a part of a special collection, known as the Marine Hall Of Fame. Recently we have decided to publish the collection as the Marine Biological Hall Of Distinction. It is the exact same collection, however it is just under a separate name. In this special collection we will discuss marine biologists who we feel have served marine biology & oceanography the most. We do this in order to commemorate these marine biologists & to show gratitude for everything they have contributed to our oceans. This collection has no relation to the main months series. This series publishes on the 25th of every month, shortly after our article on the oceanic environment of a certain region on the 20th. Today’s Marine biologist, is Finn Devold, a Norwegian Marine Biologist & meteorologist. Finn Devold was key in expansion across Greenland. He was well known for his studies on fish such as the Atlantic Halibut around Greenland. He & his brother, Hallvard Devold, had a shared interest of expanding Norwegian influence on the western Arctic. In this article we will discuss his early life & educational background, his later personal life & career, his literary works, & finally his honourables, achievements, accomplishments & awards. With that being said, let us delve into the life of Finn Devold.
His Early Personal Life & Education Background
Finn Devold was born on the 24th of April 1902. His father, Harald Ophus Devold, was a Parish Priest for the Catholic Church. He was born into a family with just one older brother, that brother being Hallvard Devold who was born 4 years before him on the 8th of November 1898. Little is known about his early life before a certain point.
His Later Personal Life & Career
Devold first travelled to the Arctic in the year 1923, at just 20 years of age. He went to study at the meteorology station known as Kvadehuken on Svalbard. His love for the arctic was shared with his brother Hallvard, which is why he studied with him at the institute. Kvadehuken was established by the geophysical institute at Tromsø. While studying here he took part in a search & rescue mission for 2 english men who had crashed their plane nearby the institute. In October of 1924 Kvadehuken closed & stopped conducting research for financial reasons. After this, the brothers moved to the meteorological station in Jan Mayen. In the year 1927 he measured the islands tallest volcanic peak, Beerenberg. After the brothers left Jan Mayen in the year 1928, they travelled together to northeastern Greenland. During the year 1928, he also became Fridtjof Nansen’s assistant. While in greenland, he participated in a movement that was organized to support the Norwegians claiming Greenland. He also supported the population & development of Greenland. By the year 1932, under his guide, 80 cabins had been constructed for fishermen to use in eastern Greenland. He also organized some action for this in southern Greenland, where he also established the Finnsbu Radio. On July 12th of 1932, the Norwegian flag was raised at the Myggbukta base as to claim the northeastern part of Greenland. He also asked to raise the Norwegian flag at the Finnsbu radio at the same time. After the 1933 when Denmark was rewarded greenland, the majority of Norwegian bases were shut down & all Norwegian claim to their territories on the island were closed. The flags were also lowered at the base. He left Greenland on the ship known as the Signalhorn, & went to Norway on said ship. In the year 1936, he was hired to work for the Norwegian institute of Marine Research. He left all involvement in Norwegian politics at this time as well. He eventually obtained a degree in mathematics & science in the year 1940. In the year 1943 he became a consultant tor fisheries at the institute. He specialized his work mainly in Atlantic Herring fisheries, & in the year 1950 he followed the herring migrations on a new vessel named “GO Sars”. After following these migrationsc he published the results of his research at the institute. After retiring in the year 1972, he continued his work in fisheries privately. He unfortunately, passed away in the year 1977. He had 1 wife, Karen Elizabeth Jassen.
His Literary Works
The North Atlantic halibut & Net fishing, Bergen 1938
Contribution to the flounder surveys (Pleuronectes platessa Lin.), Ed., UiO, 1940
From the Crimean War to our days. Part 1 (including NP Vigeland), vol. 3 in Norway at sea, 1953
The life history of the Atlanto-Scandian Herring, Rapp. Cons. Explor Mer, 154, Copenhagen 1963, pp. 98–108
The formation and disappearance of a stock unit of Norwegian herring, the Directorate of Fisheries, Skr. Marine Surveys 15 No. 1, Bergen 1968
His Honourables, Achievements, Accomplishments, & Awards
He unfortunately, recieved no documented awards or honorables. He did however achieve a more prosperous population of Herring as he published his concerns about overfishing of herring, which helped keep the population stable.
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