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PREFACE. 



J3y Professor Edward E. Prince, LL.D., Dominion Commissioner of Fi^herie» 

 and Chairman of the Biological Board of Canada. 



The series of reports on the results of the Canadian Fisheries Expedition, 1914-15, 

 witli the important introductory memoir by Dr. Iljort, Director of Fisheries under 

 the Government of Norway, and head of the expedition, are weighty contributions to 

 our knowledge of fish-life in the sea. They inform us, also, as to the complex condi- 

 tions of marine life generally in our Atlantic waters, and a fe^v preliminary words 

 :5eem necessary in explanation of the origin, character, and scope of the expedition. 

 About ten years ago the Biological Board of Canada, of which I am chairman, decided 

 to ask Dr. Hjort if he could take charge of a comprehensive fishery investigation in 

 Canadian waters on the lines of the researches which, under his direction, had proved 

 so beneficial to the fisheries of Norway. In spite of the fact that the great cod and 

 other fisheries off our Atlantic coast had been carried on for centuries, it was felt 

 that there were doubtless hidden possibilities of development and expansion that 

 awaited only a basis of accurate knowledge to turn them to account. Certain urgent 

 problems affecting the herring resources of the gulf of St. Lawrence and the Atlantic 

 coast adjacent seemed to call for adequate scientific investigation. After some corre- 

 spondence with Dr. Hjort, carried on by myself and by Professor McBride (then of 

 McGill University, and a member of the Biological Board), the matter was allowed to 

 remain in abeyance. Dr. Hjort could not at that time visit Canada, though he sug- 

 gested the name of an able young Norwegian scientist who might undertake the work. 

 The proposal was revived by the Biological Board five years ago, with the result that 

 after much correspondence. Dr. Hjort came to Canada, and arrangements for the 

 expedition were completed in Ottawa, after conferences between the Deputy ^linister 

 (Mr. Desbarats), the Biological Board, and Dr. Hjort. 



As the expenditure involved in carrying out a well-planned df cp-sea investigation 

 was too considerable to be readily met by the Biological Board, the Deputy Minister 

 of the Naval Service cordially agreed to an arrangement whereby the department 

 would provide the amount necessary. Dr. Hjort and I met in conference a number 

 of times and, as a result, a plan of work was outlined, which is summarized in the 

 Introductory Report. The plan embraced the necessary physical, hydrographical, 

 chemical, and biological researches, including collection of water samples, etc., and 

 the determination of the plankton collections, distribution and varied abundance of 

 the young fry, as well as the eggs of the cod, haddock, flat-fishos, and other species, 

 in addition to the thorough study of the varieties, distribution, migrations, and breed- 

 ing of the herring. The survey, in short, was to be as complete as possible in order to 

 afford a basis for the future development of the fishing industries. 



Eight years ago Dr. Hjort had carried on investigations in Newfoundland v.aterp. 

 in conjunction with the late Sir John Murray, on the well-known cruise of the Nor- 

 wegian Government steamer Michael Sars. The Canadian investigations now planned 

 would, it was thought, advance some aspects of the important results achieved by 

 Dr. Hjort and Sir John ^Murray. They certainly show, as demonstrated in the Pre- 

 liminary Report on the "Natural History of the Herring. 1014," by Dr. Hjort, 

 published by the Naval Service Department in 1915. in what a unique degree the 

 Atlantic waters of Canada, especially the gulf of St. Lawrence, a thorough scientific 

 investigation can aid in the solution of important fishery problems so exhaustively 

 studied in Norway. These problems centre round the relation between the distribu- 

 tion and life-cycles of fishes, and other organisms, and the prevailing environments 



