LATER STACKS: l'LEURONECTIDS 



In the offshore areas (A, C, D, D, B, C,), the reverse conditions hold. In these, 

 the quantity of "large" plaice is greatest and that of "small" is least, with the exception 

 that in C (sailing traw- 

 lers) the quantity of 

 "medium" is less than 

 that of "small". This 

 may depend upon the 

 method of sorting at 

 Lowestoft. In these 

 areas, the seasonal 

 variations in "large" set 

 the character to the 

 curve of total quanti- 

 ties. C 2 and B, ap- 

 pear to be areas of a 

 mixed character in 

 which the "large" pre- 

 dominate for the first 

 six months of the year 

 and the "small" for the 

 second half. 



So far as "small 

 plaice" are concerned, 

 the inshore areas A, 

 B 4 arid B 3 show a curve 

 which in general char- 

 acter has a maximum 

 in summer and a mi- 

 nimum in winter. In 

 December, January, 

 February and March 

 the catches are very 

 low, falling well below 

 200 kilos, per day, and 

 probably illustrating 

 the hibernating habits 

 of the young plaice. 

 This is rather confirm- 

 ed by the fact that, 

 with a slight exception 

 in the case of C 3 , the 



small plaice in the offshore areas do not show any marked indication of increase during 

 the winther months — if anything, a slight decrease. 



But the large increase up to over 600 kilos per diem in the inshore waters is not 

 regular. There are two pronounced maxima, in the spring and antumn, separated by a 

 fall in midsummer. 



Kg: JfW.FEB.hVkR-M'H-tWfJUN.JUL.AUSi.SEP. OCT. NOW. DEC.JN* I Kg. I JAM. FftB. P^RAPR. MA* JUH. JUL- AUG« 



MEi>iurv.: . Small: To-tau:- 



Figure 2. Average catch of Plaice per day by Steam Trawlers, in certain 

 areas of the North Sea. (Mean of the 4. years 1906 — 1909). 



