tkawlixg in bays on the south coast of devon. 317 



General Considerations. 



I think it will be conceded that the preceding records indicate, in so 

 far as they can be considered representative, that the three bays do 

 not form a homogeneous area, characterised by similar conditions of 

 fish supply throughout. Start Bay and Torbay show a certain similarity, 

 if we restrict our attention to plaice, but there is a marked difference 

 in the proportion of immature fish in the later months of the year. 

 Thus in Start Bay these fish are 39 per cent, of the whole in October 

 and 32 per cent, in December, while in Torbay they are 54 per cent, 

 in November. Teignmouth Bay differs from either, in that the pro- 

 portion of immature plaice never falls below 72 per cent. I imagine 

 that the facts are of more interest to the Committee than their ex- 

 planation, which may probably lie in the close proximity of the 

 estuary of the Exe, apparently the chief nursery of young plaice in 

 the district, to Teignmouth Bay. 



Without undertaking the responsibility of suggesting legislative 

 action, I think I may endeavour to indicate, in so far as my 

 acquaintance with the local conditions permits, the probable effects 

 of any modification of the existing bye-laws. 



Any interference with the unrestricted prosecution by fishermen of 

 their calling may be presumed to have for its object either the increase 

 of the fish supply or the protection of one class of fishermen at the 

 expense of another. The last case involves social considerations which 

 I am not concerned to discuss, as they lie within the province of the 

 political economist rather than that of the naturalist. 



For the protection or increase of the supply a number of methods 

 have been advocated, such as the prevention of the destruction of small 

 fish (different standards of size being suggested), whether by prohibition 

 of capture or prohibition of sale, the institution of a close season, etc. 

 On the Mhole the imposition of a size limit, however enforced, seems 

 to have found most favour, but opinions differ as to the size. The Sea 

 Fisheries Bill of 1898 sought to make illegal the sale, &c., of plaice 

 and soles not exceeding 8 inches in length. It must be supposed that 

 the Parliamentary Committee, on the recommendations of which the 

 Bill was based, held that the protection of fish of less size would in 

 itself benefit the supply, A Fisheries Committee cannot deal with 

 sales, but the Devon Committee has taken effectual means to prevent 

 the destruction, at least by trawlers, of either large or small fish in the 

 bays. If it be held that the limit proposed by the Parliamentary 

 Committee is adequate, our tables show that the existing bye-law is 

 superfluous in Start Bay, and probably in Torbay during the months 

 of October, November, and December, while it is hardly necessary 



X 2 



