MAEINE BIOLOGICAL STATION AT POET ERIN. 305 



especially in distributing bottles along lines crossing the 

 northern and southern entrances to the Irish Sea, such as 

 from Port Patrick to Belfast, or from Belfast to White- 

 haven, and from Holyhead to Dublin, or thereabouts. 



A further subject upon which the Committee are very 

 desirous of doing some work is sea-fish hatching and fish 

 culture. That, however, is a somewhat expensive matter, 

 requiring special arrangements and apparatus. If the 

 various County Councils and Fishery Boards having 

 jurisdiction over the territorial waters of the Irish Sea, 

 could see their way to unite in promoting a Fish Hatchery 

 at Port Erin, it would be a benefit to the whole sea- 

 district. This northern area of the Irish Sea, in the 

 centre of which the Isle of Man lies, is a natural fishery 

 district, with its own spawning grounds, " nurseries," 

 feeding grounds, and important fishing industries. The 

 same bye-laws ought to apply throughout the area, and 

 there ought to be a central fish hatching and rearing 

 establishment in some convenient spot where the water 

 is the purest obtainable and as free as possible from all 

 suspended matters. Such a hatchery would not be for 

 the benefit of Lancashire alone, nor of Cheshire, nor of 

 the Isle of Man, but would benefit the fish population of 

 the entire area, and the fisheries in general. TheL. M. B. C, 

 although very willing to advise, to co-operate, and to super- 

 vise if desired, cannot be expected unaided to carry out 

 such an extensive scheme ; but even if they receive no 

 outside assistance, they are determined to start the matter 

 by conducting some experiments in hatching during the 

 coming spawning season, so as to demonstrate the suit- 

 ability or otherwise of Port Erin for this purpose. In this 

 connection the Hon. Treasurer begs to call attention to 

 the fact that his small balance in hand will very soon be 

 exhausted in making the necessary preparations for these 



