16 
REQUIRED StuRVEY OF oUR FiIsHinG GROUNDS, WITH 
New ScHEME oF Work aT SEA. 
By W. A. Herpman. 
In last year’s Report, at p. 14, in an article on ‘‘ Sea- 
Fisheries Conferences and the need of a ‘ Census’ of our 
Seas,’ I pointed out that *‘ what we stand most in need 
of at present is full and accurate statistics in regard to 
our fisheries, and much more detailed information than 
we have as to the distribution round the coast both of 
Fishes, in all stages of growth, and also of the lower 
animals with which they are associated, and upon which 
they feed.” I then proceeded to propose a scheme of 
investigation which I characterised as “the nearest 
possible approximation to a census of our seas—beginning 
with the territorial waters and those offshore grounds 
that supply them and are definitely related to them.” 
The work would be partly of a statistical nature and 
partly scientific observations and investigations, and 
it seems clear that it is only by such methods that we 
can hope to settle many important fishery questions. 
I do not think that I am under-estimating the magni- 
tude, the difficulties and the probable imnerfections of 
such a scheme as I propose. I am aware that all we can 
hope to attain is an approximation, but even a rough 
approximation will be of use, and if carried out on the 
right lines it is an approximation which will approach 
more and more nearly to the truth with each successive 
year of work. 
The fishery statistics collected and published at 
present by the Board of Trade are, I contend, inadequate. 
They do not give us the information we require. The 
system does not seem to be designed so as to realise and 
