14 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



and agreements with the dealers. The price obtainable for them has 

 always been low. The sentiment against " baby chickens " being 

 landed was. and still is, strong. They have constituted a third grade 

 of fish, Avhich were supposed to be destroyed and not sold. Yet the 

 decline in the halibut fishery has gone on. 



The percentage of the smallest size of fish landed is not known, 

 but that of '' chickens " is recorded. This should show the trend. 

 There has been, for instance, a more or less steady increase from 20 

 per cent to 30 per cent of the total landed at Prince Rupert from 

 Hecate Strait in the last seven years. There is little doubt that 

 undersized fish are forming a continually larger share of the catches 

 from the southern banks in general. Legal protection to these small 

 fish may prevent their use in the future to an increasing extent, but 

 it can be preventative only and not constructive. It can not apply 

 to the factors that have caused the damage in the past, unless tliere 

 are sizes included which have in the past formed acceptable parts of 

 the market landings. 



In considering the protection of these small fish, whatever sizes are 

 included as such, their distribution is important. They are found to 

 a greater or less extent in all areas and form a factor in all catches. 

 But the smallest sizes are found in much greater proportion on 

 certain banks commonly called " nurseries." Whether the extent of 

 these banks or the number of small fish thereon has increased is 

 difficult to say, as accurate observations have not yet been completed. 

 Those " nurseries " which have been recognized for many years are 

 on the old more southern banks ; but when the western grounds are 

 lietter known, " nurseries " will doubtlessly be distinguished by fish- 

 ermen there. At present little can be discovered statistically as to dis- 

 tribution or relative abundance in various areas. Vessels fishing on 

 "nurseries " are reluctant to admit the fact. Catches everywhere are 

 mixed and are rarely made from one area. The fishermen shake off the 

 smaller sizes, frequently in great ninnbers, so that their catches do 

 not give a fair picture of the proportion of small fish. They reflect, 

 more than anything else, the market demand; but they also reflect 

 the distance of the bank fished, since a catch of low-]:)riced fish is 

 not likely to be brought from a great distance as long as there is 

 any chance for first-grade fish. Hence, although it is possible to say 

 that certain " nurseries " actually exist, it is not possible as yet to 

 give an accurate picture of the distribution of young, nor of what the 

 effect of various restrictive measures on the various areas might be. 



There have been three methods of protection for small fish sug- 

 gested, namely, (1) the imposition of a size limit, (2) the prohi- 

 bition of the use of small hooks, and (3) the closure of " nurseries " 

 to all fishing. 



The use of a minimuju size lin)it woukl involve a great destruction 

 of ■ undersized fish, much more extensive than is now the case. The 

 investigations of tlie commission during tagging operations showed 

 tluit nior(! than 50 per cent of the small fish are seriously injured by 

 hooking even when carefully handled. It is deemed highly probable 

 that when such fish are handled as roughly as is done in commercial 

 fishing, when they are jerked off the hook, only a very small part of 

 the 50 per eent ai'c in good condition for survival. Yet, as previously 

 explained, in all commercial fishing, wherever the lines may be set, 



