510 AN EXPEKIMENT IN THE TRANSPLANTATION OF PLAICE FEOM 



old males (average size 37'0 cm.) shows an increment of less than 

 30% on that of those five years old, whilst the seven-year-old fish of 

 this sex, having an average length of 38'1 cm., show less than 10% 

 weight increment on fish a year younger. This oldest group is, how- 

 ever, not sufficiently well represented for this result to be regarded 

 as more than approximate. 



Dealing with the females, the six-year-old fish (average size 41 "0 cm.) 

 are found to average a little over 40% heavier than those of five years, 

 and the seven-year-old fish (average size 44'1 cm.) show an increment 

 of just over 20% as compared with the six-year-olds, 



Eeferring these figures, which are based on abundant material, 

 back to the percentage weight increments of Estimate A in Table III, 

 the indications in this table present a truly remarkable contrast in 

 favour of the probably older plaice transplanted from the White Sea. 



3. Increase in Value. — The plaice fishery in the Barents Sea has 

 only been conducted by our trawlers during four summers, and it 

 would be premature to discuss the values of the product. These, 

 however, have been adversely affected by two important considerations, 

 the somewhat poor quality of the fish combined with excessive supplies 

 in the summer months. 



A trade expert giving evidence before the Committee on Fishery 

 Investigations expressed an opinion that the plaice sell at less than one- 

 tenth the value of any other plaice {Committee on Fishery Investiga- 

 tions, 1908. Minutes, Cd. 4304, jj. 391). 



The White Sea plaice have not the coarse, dark appearance, which 

 used to characterize the old, accumulated stock at Iceland, and would, 

 after a few months fattening in the North Sea, be indistinguishable in. 

 external appearance and doubtless too in food value from the indigen- 

 ous population. Thus, if we may assume that each of the last five 

 fish would have doubled its weight had it been at liberty a year, 

 and basing the value of White Sea plaice at one-fifth that of North 

 Sea plaice, each would have been worth at least ten times the price 

 usually obtained. 



It would be absurd, on the slender though corroborative evidence of 

 the above results, to suggest that the transplantation of White Sea 

 plaice would be practicable as a connnercial undertaking. At the 

 same time it must be admitted that even this would prove sounder 

 economy as regards the development of the White Sea fishery than is 

 the present plan of converting many tons of this valuable fish species 

 into manure, as was done in the great gluts in the summer of 1909. 



The fact that plaice can be carried in safety such long distances 

 and through such varying conditions, broadens the question of trans- 



