90 NORTH SEA INVESTIGATIONS. 
than the cod, though our information as to its earlier life-history 
remains singularly meagre. Speaking generally, we may say that 
the shoals containing large fish—in fact, the only shoals of which 
we have definite knowledge—contain also fish of all sizes that are 
marketable, and some which are usually considered too small to be 
included in this definition ; but the very small fish live apart. The 
explanation seems to be that young fish do not join the shoals until 
they have attained such a size as enables them to prey on similar 
organisms, and to keep up with the frequent and very rapid migra- 
tions of their larger brethren. Such size or condition appears to be 
reached at about 8 to 10inches. Now, if the young haddock attains 
a length of about 6 to 9 inches in the first year of its life, it is evi- 
dent that, as this fish is an early spawner, there will be a consider- 
able accession of young fish to the shoals in the winter months. The 
period during which such increase would be noticeable might be 
expected to be somewhat more extended than that during which the 
species spawns, since it must be some time before these recruits 
attain a size which places them outside the category of ‘ small ” 
haddock. It remains to be seen whether a continuation of statis- 
tical inquiries will confirm the general impression, and my own, that 
small fish are more plentiful in the winter and early spring than at 
other times of the year; but if such prove to be the case, the above 
speculations as to the cause may be not devoid of interest. 
Shrimp-trawling. 
It will be remembered that in my last report I alluded to a bye- 
law of the North-eastern Sea Fisheries District Committee which 
prohibited the use of shrimp-trawls in the Humber, and in certain 
other inshore waters with which I have no acquaintance, between 
the beginning of April and the end of September, and altogether 
prohibited the use of fish-trawls in the same waters. I also found 
it necessary, owing to the very general disregard of such part of the 
regulation as referred to fish-trawls, and the difficulty of discrimi- 
nating in the market between Humber fish taken by the different 
kinds of trawl, to include all such fish in one category. 
Since the report was published I have had an opportunity of 
obtaining a more intimate acquaintance with the conditions of the 
industry. Complaints were numerous on the part of those depend- 
ent, wholly or in part, on the Humber fisheries, that the season 
closed by the bye-law was too long, and a petition was presented to 
the Committee, praying that shrimp-trawling might be allowed from 
the beginning of March to the end of October ; in other words, that 
the open season might be extended by a month at each end. 
