I 



IN THE BAYS ON THE SOUTH-EAST COAST OF DEVON. 



47' 



7 to 18 inches. The following table shows the number of fish of 

 each size which were marked, and also the number of each size which 

 have been recovered. 



Table XX., shoivhu/ the numbers and sizes of Plaice marked in Start Bay, 

 and the numbers recovered in successive ijcriods inside and outside 

 the bay. 



It is worthy of notice that the percentage of recoveries in the case 

 of the largest and the smallest fish is very small. In the case of plaice 

 from 9 to 14 inches in length at the time of liberation, 24 per cent, 

 have been recovered, i.e. one out of every four; whereas of the 

 fishes from 7 to 8 inches in length, only one out of nine has been 

 recovered, and of those of 15 inches and upwards only two out 

 of thirty-seven. It will be seen in the sequel that the explanation 

 of this difference is probably to be found partly in the facts that 

 the smallest fishes remain within the bays, and are, therefore, not 

 liable to be captured by the trawlers in the ordinary way during 

 the first year, and that the largest fishes tend to migrate away from the 

 Brixham waters altogether, probably for the most part to the Eddy- 

 stone trawling-grounds (cf. No. 176, caught on May 23rd, 1902, off the 

 Eddystone). 



The table shows further that nearly twice as many fish were 

 recovered outside the bay as were found within its limits. The pro- 

 portion borne by "outside" to "inside" captures is seen to increase 



* Note. — The limit between " inside " and " outside " the bays in these tables is a purely 

 geogi-aphical one, and does not strictly correspond with the trawling limits of the Devon 

 Sea Fisheries Committee, Similarly the percentage of recoveries inside the bays is not to 

 be taken as a measure of " poaching" on the part of the trawlers, since the returns include 

 the captures by seiners, rod-fishermen, and the Oithona itself, as well as by trawlers. 



