If we compare the total amounts of haddock^ cod, plaice and 

 sole landed in 1903 and in 1938^, then these appear to have declined 

 even faster than the total landings o Apparently, this is because 

 the catch of "other fish" increased steadilyo 



The financial return decreased relatively more than the return 

 in weighto The prices of the most important fish oscillated from 

 year to year, but did not lower constantly, so that the increased 

 landings of fish of lower value must be held responsible for the 

 decline of the re turns o 



Figure 2B clearly shows that after 1925, the landings of less 

 important fish ("other fish") increased greatlyo 



It is clearly shown that around 1930i, a situation had appeared 

 whereby an increasing fishing intensity brought about a decreasing 

 catch? a clear state of overfishing, and a very serious one consider^ 

 ing the financial returns o 



It is worthwhile to look at the four most important fish species 

 separatelyo 



aae Haddock 



Ifhen we observe the figures showing the total landings of haddock 

 in kilogramSj, a decline from 1903=14 is apparento An increase during 

 the post-war years to an amount higher than that of the period 1903"=06 

 occurSp and then a progressive decline, until finally a level has 

 been reached which is lower than the returns of the limited fishery 

 during the war period (see table 5) o 



Therefore, we notice, that an increase of the fishing, intensity 

 during the period 1903=14 is accompanied^by a decrease of the catches o 

 The haddock stock must have been overfished already during this 

 period© It appears from the high returns of the years 1919='26j the 

 catches. had already dropped below the highest value of the pre=war 

 periodo Finally, during 1935=38, about one half of the latter ralue 

 was reachedo It has been said that the decrease in the number of 

 steam trawlers is to blame for the lowering of the haddock catches | 

 that is to say, a decreasing of the fishing intensity is blamedo 

 Although we have taken the view that the fishing intensity has 

 increased during the last years, we will consider this point of viewo 



If the haddock stock were indeed fished with lower intensity, 

 this must have been advantageous for the size of the stock, and the 

 density must have increasedo This density must be measured by the 

 catch=per-unit-of =timeo We have said already that this is dependent 

 on the fishing capacityo As this capacity has increased in recent 

 years, we must accept that, by equal density of the f ish s tockp the 



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