472 SOME RESULTS OF THE INTERNATIONAL FISHERY INVESTIGATIONS. 



in which hydrofrraphic conditions inlluencc the distribution of the fish 

 over the North European area. 



Statistical Investigations. 



If a knovvledcre of the life histories of the edible fishes is essential 

 for the proper control of the sea-fishing industry, an exhaustive know- 

 ledge of the statistics of the fisheries is no less indispensable. Fishery 

 authorities, recognizing the value of statistical knowledge, have almost 

 invariably created organizations for obtaining this information, and one 

 may say that the success of these has been proportional to the experi- 

 ence of the authority. Thus in Scotland, where a strong fishery 

 board has now existed for nearly a century, a system of collecting 

 fishery statistics has slowly been evolved and is probably the most 

 perfect in existence. In England, on the other hand, where the fishery 

 authorities are of much more recent origin, statistical knowledge of the 

 industry is still very imperfect. IJy the statistics of the fisheries has 

 usually been understood a knowledge of the quantities and values of the 

 marketable fishes sent to the public markets from month to month 

 throughout the year ; with also a knowledge of the numbers of fisher- 

 men and of the fishing vessels belonging to various classes. Such is the 

 statistical information relating to the sea-fishing industry which is 

 published in the official documents of the authorities. As the industry 

 has developed and the need for legislation become apparent, it has 

 gradually become evident that such information is far from being 

 adequate. 



Official fishery statistics have in fact been based almost entirely on the 

 material landed on our shores, without regard to the places and methods 

 where, and by means of which, this material was obtained, and it is very 

 evident that such information affords only an imperfect view of the 

 operations of the fishing vessels. An exhaustive system of statistical 

 information would inform us where the fishing vessels had been fishing 

 from day to day throughout the year; what methods they had em- 

 ployed ; what proportion of the time of their voyages had been spent 

 on actual fishing operations ; what kinds and quantities of fisli tliey had 

 caught, and on what particular fishing grounds these had been captured. 

 Then we ought also to possess exhaustive knowledge of the iKrsonncl of 

 the industry, as well as that of the kinds, tonnage, value, etc., of the 

 vessels employed. Such statistics of the fishing industry have not, 

 so far, been furnished by any fishery authority. But even if we did 

 possess them, they would be inadequate for a proper understanding 

 of the conditions of the industry. The figures relating to the quantities 

 of fish captured and landed would be based on the working of certain 



