176 



of the total catch made would have to bo rejected. But a 

 useful answer to our question hinges upon information as to the 

 extent to which such small plaice grounds are generally worked 

 by local steam trawlers, and we do not know whether or not 

 that information is obtainable. 



Also, we must consider whether small plaice caught in 

 the large trawls — and long drags — of smacks and steam trawlers 

 can be returned to the sea alive. Undoubtedly the business of 

 trawling could be so conducted as to allow most of the small 

 plaice to be put back alive into the sea. Without doubt the 

 nets could be so made as to allow small plaice to escape through 

 the meshes (when valuable soles would also escape, in the 

 case of the smacks). But all this depends on the willingness 

 of skippers to work regulations which could hardly be enforced 

 upon them — as things are. For one nuist never forget that 

 it is of little use to discuss such proposals as these without also 

 considering their obvious consequences— which are a much 

 more elaborate (and expensive) system of fishery police than 

 exists at the present time. 



The Possible Effect on the Fisheries of a Size-limit. 



Merely to prevent the trawlers from catching — or selling — 

 plaice of less than 20 or 22 cms. in length means nothing but a 

 restriction : we have to investigate what would be the effect 

 on the Irish Sea Fisheries as a whole. The restriction might 

 be expected to deter the steam trawlers from fishing on the 

 small plaice grounds (always supposing that they do fish there 

 to an appreciable,- extent) ; if they do go to these grounds 

 they go to make money by getting marketable plaice, and if 

 they are prevented from getting them there they will have to 

 go further and so spend more money in catching the same 

 value of fish, for otherwise they would not go to the small 

 fish areas in preference to going to the more distant grounds. 

 We are expected to convince them, therefore, that it will be 



