28 



The plaice and dabs over 20 cm. of the measured hauls are 

 more numerous than the number recorded in the earlier experi- 

 ments, except at Skate Roads, where large dabs, although small 

 in number, are yet prominent. There must obviously be, how- 

 ever, a degree of relationship between the two kinds of experi- 

 ment, and the general trend of the results from year to year may 

 be indicated by superimposing the figures derived from each, 

 as has been done in figures 2 and 3. In these figures the first 

 or complete experimental results begin in 1892 and the measured 

 hauls in 1899. Much more variation is exhibited in the short 

 experiment, but neither result can be said to indicate much 

 change. The change, such as it is, could be expressed by saying 

 that the improvement indicated about 1895 has on the whole 

 been maintained. Indeed, if we take it that we can measure 

 the annual population of the plaice by Skate Roads and that of 

 the dabs by Alnmouth Bay and Druridge Bay we should say 

 that a distinct improvement has taken place. This, on the whole, 

 has been the experience of the fishermen during the period repre- 

 sented in figure 2 with reference to plaice, but according to their 

 catches the dab appears to be becoming scarce in the district. 

 One must discount to some extent the large catches of plaice 

 made during the years of the war, but it is surprising to notice 

 to what a slight extent the dabs have been captured b\ r the fisher- 

 men in the years concerned. 



In addition to the experiments in the regular bays, measured 

 hauls were made at Goswick Bay, and the results are summarised 

 in the following statement : — 



Mean ... 59 ... 2 ... 70 



The incidence of the small fish under 20 cm. is even more 

 important. It will be noticed that the small plaice are con- 

 spicuously more numerous than the large at Skate Roads, but are 

 fewer to a slight extent usually in the southern bays. In the case 

 of dabs, on the other hand, the small under 20 cm. far outnumber 

 the large at all the southern stations. This is to say, that the 



