51 
in the shrimp trawl. If the number of fish caught in 
any one haul be divided by the numbers of quarts of 
shrimps taken at the same time, a measure is obtained of 
the amount of destruction of young fishes caused by 
shrimp trawling. Taking the total monthly catches of 
shrimps and fish during the year, as shown in Tables III. 
and IV., as a basis, we have constructed Table V. That 
table shows for each month in the year, and for both 
areas, how many soles, plaice and whiting were caught 
for every quart of shrimps. And if it be possible to 
determine by any means the total number of quarts of 
shrimps landed from the Mersey Shrimping Grounds in 
each month during the year, the numbers on this table 
will serve as factors which will enable the amount of 
destruction of immature food fishes to be calculated. 
The numbers of plaice caught per quart of shrimps on 
Area B during February and March seem excessive. This 
is due first to the relatively large numbers of plaice found 
on that ground during the early months of the year; 
second, to the very small catches of shrimps made there 
during those months. 
The tables show that the numbers of soles, plaice and 
whiting caught per quart of shrimps on Area A is always 
much greater during the third quarter of the year than 
on Area B during the same period. More exactly, more 
whiting are caught on Area A from June to December, 
and more plaice and soles from August to October, than 
on Area B during those same months. More whiting 
were caught on Area B than on A during February, and 
more soles during March, May, June, July, November 
and December. 
We have used the term destruction as synonymous with 
capture of young fish, but perhaps we are not strictly 
justified in doing so. All the fish brought up in a shrimp 
