REPORT OF tup: COUNCIL. 399 



The International Fisheries Investigations. 



Section I.— NORTH SEA WORK. 

 A. W(3EK OF THE S.S. "HUXLEY." 



Trawling Investigations. — The survey of the North Sea trawling 

 grounds has been steadily continued during the year. From June 

 1904 to the end of May 1905 the HilcIoj made 35 voyages, during 

 which 304 hauls of the large commercial trawls (otter and beam) were 

 taken, and the quantities and sizes of the fishes caught systematically 

 recorded. 



From the commencement of the investigations 66 voyages have 

 been completed, and the results of 653 hauls with the large trawls 

 analysed and recorded. 



The work of the Huxley was supplemented during July 1904 l)y a 

 series of investigations by the s.s. Oithonn in the shallower waters of 

 Bridlington Bay, the Wash, and the Thames estuary. 



Fish Measured. — The investigation of the relative numbers of fishes 

 of different sizes on various fishing grounds in tlie North Sea and of 

 their seasonal distribution has been continued. In this connection 

 during the past year about 100,000 fishes have been measured on the 

 fishing grounds where they were caught, viz. 95,000 caught with the 

 large commercial trawls of the Hn.vlei/, and nearly 5,000 caught with 

 the smaller trawls of the Oithona and Hiixle//. 



More than 210,000 fishes have been measured in this way since the 

 commencement of the investigations, as shown in detail in the 

 following table : — 



I. — Commercial TraicU. 



Voyages I-XXXI, 1902-4 



XXXll-LVl, 1904-5 



Totals 

 1 1. — Sm all Tra wis. 



Voyages I-XXXI, 1902-4 . 

 XXXII-LVI, 1904-5 

 S.S. Oithona, July 1904 



Totals 

 III. — Grand Totals . 



Marking Experiments. — During the year 2,660 marked plaice have 

 been .set free in different parts of the North Sea, of which 187 have 

 already been recaptured. 



Prior to June 1904, 2,455 marked plaice had been liberated, of which 



