10 
Lancashire and Western area should be cut off from the 
Solway Firth to the north and from the Bristol Channel 
to the south. In studying the distribution and move- 
ments of plaice throughout the seasons of the year, and 
the life of the fish, it is evident, even from our few obser- 
vations during the last couple of years, that the great 
shallow water areas of the Solway are of considerable 
interest. This is recognised by the Fishery Board for 
Scotland as well as by ourselves, and on more than one 
occasion now they have asked us to make observations for 
them from our steamer, and to aid them in obtaiming 
young fishes for their transplantation experiments. We 
are also at the present time preparing to co-operate with 
the Fishery Board in certain drift-bottle experiments for 
the purpose of determining the movements of the surface 
waters of the Irish Sea and the Clyde Sea-area, such as 
may affect the drift of fish eggs and larve. This is as it 
ought to be, and if the whole west coast from the Solway 
to the Severn were in the control of one Authority, effi- 
ciently equipped with boats and observers, an organised 
co-operation with the Fishery Board for Scotland would 
be natural, and a joint investigation of the Solway and of 
any other problems of common interest would undoubtedly 
be effected. 
The Isle of Man should also join this proposed 
western amalgamation. The seas round that Island are 
closely related to the Lancashire waters, and whatever the 
fishermen may be required to do, the fish respect no terri- 
torial boundaries. The Isle of Man has everything to 
gain by coming into line with the English counties. To 
administer the insular fisheries alone would be an extrava- 
gant process. Joined with Lancashire and the other 
counties in a western combination, in return for a very 
A, 
moderate rate the Manx fisheries would be adequately 
