490 REPORT OF THE COUNCIL. 



ment of the investigations to the present time is 108 ; the total 

 number of hauls made with commercial trawls is 1447, that with 

 smaller gear, 1269. 



Trawling Investigations. — The investigation of fixed stations and 

 fixed lines, which was carried out in the spring of 1908, was repeated 

 in June and August of that year, the gear used being the same as on 

 the first occasion. Trawling also took place along the East Anglian 

 coast, and in The Wash, for the collection of soles ; and on the Dutch, 

 Danish, and English coasts, in order to obtain plaice for Vitality 

 Experiments and for Transplantation. The Association is indebted to- 

 the Eastern Sea Fisheries District Committee, and to Mr. H Donnison, 

 their Inspector, for assistance rendered by the Protector in connection 

 with the first of these operations. The Huxicy also obtained eight 

 boxes of plaice from Teignmouth Bay, for the purpose of otolith 

 investigation. 



Dredging Investigations. — Various descriptions of small gear were 

 used both at the fixed stations and elsewhere. During the year 39 

 samples of the sea bottom were added to the collection already made. 



Fish Measured. — Over 107,000 fish were measured at sea during 

 the jear. As in past years, the entire catch was measured on nearly 

 all occasions. The details as to the number of plaice, haddock, and 

 other species dealt with are as follows : — 



Yeae. Plaice. Haddock. Othei!S. Totals. 



1902-8* ... 139,964 48,513 295,247 ... 483,724 

 1908-9 ... 34,821 1,810 71,153 ... 107,784 



Totals 174,785 50,323 366,400 ... 591,508 



During the past winter the measurements and maturity examination 

 of plaice have been continued on the smacks and fish-market at 

 Lowestoft. From the end of October, 1908, to the close of March, 

 1909, over 17,000 plaice from the south part of the North Sea have 

 been dealt with. 



Marking Experiments. — From the commencement of the investiga- 

 tions 15,887 plaice, together with 713 soles and 552 other fish, have 

 now been marked and liberated by the Association. Of these, 3515 

 plaice, 51 soles, and 110 other fish have been recovered. 



During the year 1908-9, 1385 marked plaice were liberated ap- 

 proximately at the position at which they were captured. The 

 majority of these were marked in the southern extremity of the North 

 Sea, in March, with a view to casting further light on the movements 



* Excluding certain small fish caught in small gear in 1907. 



