50 FISHERIES OF THE NORTH SEA 



creased fishings when peace time comes, 

 this amount is quite likely to be trebled. 

 Surely an industry which is able to 

 produce 90,000,000 value of food per 

 annum is well worth the attention of the 

 nation at a time when food in the form 

 of cereals and meat will be inadequate 

 for the needs of the countries emerging 

 from famine. 



The capital expended by the different 

 countries in this industry might be esti- 

 mated roughly at 50,000,000, which is 

 very inadequate in view of what might be 

 done if the opportunities were fully ex- 

 ploited. In England there is remarkably 

 little invested in the shore industries. Tak- 

 ing the possible output of 90,000,000 in 

 this area of 300,000 square miles we get 

 about 300 value of fish per square mile 

 fished per annum, or los. an acre, whereas 

 prior to the war this was only about 100 

 per square mile, or a little over 35. 

 an acre. In other words, mankind took 

 about 24 Ib. of fish from every acre of 

 water in the North Sea and Icelandic 

 banks. There is little doubt but that the 

 fertility of the sea meadows could support 



