42 Plaice : Race and Size. 



yet the winter flounders are firm in flesh and capital eating. 

 The average size of those exposed for sale at Leigh is 7 to 9 

 inches, thus in general ripe or tolerably mature in condition. 



(2.) The PLAICE (P. platessa) has an extensive range round 

 our coast, and is as plentiful in the deeper extra-territorial 

 waters as inshore and in the rivers' mouths. However, it is 

 important to recognise the fact that the plaice of our Fishery 

 District taken in the aggregate never attains the large 

 dimensions of those trawled in the subarctic portion of the 

 North Sea, or off the east of Scotland. In the latter area up 

 to 28 inches long has been recorded (Fulton)* ; still the 

 medium size of those brought to market (say, Grimsby) is 

 between 11 to 14 or 15 inches. 



Cunningham ,f in his researches, has shown that the plaice 

 of the English Channel round the Straits of Dover, and in the 

 shallow southernmost portion of the North Sea, are altogether 

 a small sized race compared with those of the deeper northern 

 parts of the North Sea. The Channel fish may become mature 

 at 9 inches long, the upper North Sea ones at 13 in., or 4 inches 

 difference in dimensions. It is well to keep this in mind in 

 view of the fact that from Ramsgate, the most important 

 fishing station in our district, the trawlers work on the grounds 

 where the presumed stunted race of plaice are found. In other 

 words, big plaice are essentially deep-water fish, and the smaller 

 sized sort more often frequent the shallower grounds as pertain 

 to the southern section of the North Sea, &c. 



Now, referring to the Thames Estuary plaice, ordinarily it- 

 is exceptional to find one reach over a foot long.J Those of 7, 

 8 or even 9 to 10J inches are fairly numerous at certain 

 seasons, generally in the autumn, though they are also met 

 with at other times of the year, but scantier in quantity. On 

 the other hand, the smaller sized fish, from about 1 to 6 inches, 



* Eight Ann. Rep. S.F.B. for 1889. t Jour. Mar. Biol. Assoc. (N. Ser.) Vol. IV. 

 J But we niay cite examples which have come under our own observation, viz. : 

 111, 12J and 16 inches this last weighing 2 Ibs. 



