COUNCIL — APRIL 1912 — APPENDIX D — 76 — 



is to say, not a winter month, but preferably July or August, where variation due 

 to migration is at its lowest. The heavy decline in numbers of the 30 — 35 cm. fish 

 is always apparent when a large district of the North Sea is considered, as for 

 instance in Prof. Henking's report, where a large part of the North Sea is taken as a 

 whole. In such case the decrease could not be considered as due to migration, 

 nor could it be regarded as accidental. Prof. Henking had taken special pains to 

 avoid irregularities in the statistics regarding the fish measured, not measuring, for 

 instance, too many of the small and too few of the large. The phenomenon in 

 question was evidently to be regarded as due to natural causes. 



In the further discussion of this subject Prof. D'Argy Thompson and Dr. Jo- 

 hansen took part. 



Dr. Redeke inquired whether the catches of the steamers engaged on the 

 investigations had not thrown some light upon the subject. 



Prof. Heincke pointed out that this was not the case, as these catches were 

 unequally distributed, being for instance relatively too numerous in the southern 

 part of the North Sea. Moreover, the manner of dealing with the catch was highly 

 variable. Nevertheless the results obtained from these catches seemed to point in 

 the same direction as those elicited from investigation of the fish landed. The 

 catches were, however, far too few in number. 



Fifth Sitting: Thursday 25th April 1912, 10 a.m. 



Prof Heincke in the chair. 



(Agenda a). 

 Prof. DArcy Thompson gave a resume of his Report on the Gadoids, which 

 formed a continuation of his report of 1909, and was mainly based on the Trade 

 Statistics of England for the years 1905—10. Prof. Thompson showed inter alia 

 that an alteration actually had taken place with regard to the fishing grounds 

 worked by the English trawlers, the position being, that at the close of this period 

 of five years fewer vessels fished in the eastern parts of the North Sea, while 

 more worked the western and south-western parts than had been the case in 

 previous years. He then went on to discuss the variation in the catch of haddock, 

 and the proportion per cent of small haddock in the different areas. In particular 

 he showed, that the average daily catch, and the percentage of small fish in the 

 North Sea varied greatly from year to year, and that he could now draw up 

 charts, illustrating the variation of these factors in different parts of the areas in 

 question. He showed, for instance, by means of charts, that the distribution and 



