588 SCIENCE PROGRESS 



nised that the evidence was not sufficient to justify such an 

 interference with the conditions of the sea fishing industry, that 

 there was not enough information as to the question, and that 

 the contemplated legislation — a prohibition of the landing of 

 fish of certain classes under certain specified sizes — was after all 

 a measure which it was advisable should be treated internation- 

 ally. They therefore recommended that steps should be taken 

 to secure this international treatment, and the bill was dropped. 



Almost at this time efforts were being made to obtain 

 international investigation, at least, of the question of the 

 connection of physical changes in the sea with biological 

 changes, and with climatic phenomena. During the decade 

 1890 — 1900 various investigations into the cause of the move- 

 ments of sea water in north European seas had been made by 

 the Scandinavian and Scottish hydrographers with interesting 

 results. It was, however, found that if decided results were 

 to be obtained, it would be necessary to deal with the question 

 on a much larger scale than had up to that time been possible. 

 It was felt, too, that it was just these results which would in all 

 probability supply the clue to much that had been very puzzling 

 in connection with the migrations of fishes such as the herring. 

 In 1899 a meeting was held at Copenhagen at which representa- 

 tives from most of the States interested in the fisheries of the 

 North Sea attended. The result of this conference was that 

 a preliminary programme was drafted and submitted to the 

 various governments. A further conference was held at 

 Christiania in 1901, and some assurance of support was held 

 out which resulted in a third meeting at Copenhagen in 1902, 

 at which a definite scheme of research was agreed upon so 

 as to include more of direct fishery investigation than was 

 contemplated at the previous meetings. 



In this year the Governments of Great Britain, Germany, 

 Holland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia 

 (Belgium joined later on) consented to the institution of an 

 international organisation for the study of the hydrography and 

 biology of the sea from the point of view of the regulation of 

 the sea fisheries, and the Conseil Permanent International pour 

 l'Exploration de la Mer was finally created. 



In its present form this body consists of representatives 

 from each of the States participating in the investigations, with 

 the inclusion of expert members. It delegates its powers to an 



