COUNCIL — SEPT. 1912 -- APPENDIX M — 142 



Appendix M 



On the present state of the General Report 

 on the Plaice question. 



Lecture given at the meeting of the International Council on the 18. Sept. 1912 



by Dr. Heincke. 

 (Here given in brief). 



According to the desire expressed by the Central Council in April of this 

 year, I have the pleasure to lay before the Meeting to-day a short resume, in print- 

 ed form, of the most important results contained in the General Report on the 

 Plaice question. To complete the General Report itself, in the form and extent 

 in which it was commenced, was impossible, in view of the relatively short space 

 of time, from May to September. I trust, however, that the present resume will 

 be welcome as a temporary substitute for the whole Report. It contains in an 

 abbreviated form, all the essential and important results of the International In- 

 vestigation of the Sea upon the Plaice question, especially with regard to protected 

 measure and size limits. I have been obliged to forego for the present the detailed 

 proofs and statement of origin of these results ; I have, however, endeavoured 

 to compile the resume in such a manner as to render it readable and intelligible 

 to all, also to those who are not specialists in the branch of work, and to give 

 such information as may render possible the useful discussion in the Fishery Sec- 

 tion and the Central Council, of certain pressing questions, as for instance that of 

 the desirable international size-limits. 



I must crave the indulgence of the meeting for certain disabilities in the 

 resume, especially in regard to faults of style, as well as in the translation and the 

 printing; the time was too short to permit of repeated and sufficiently care- 

 ful revision. 



The main object of the General Report is to serve as basis for definite pro- 

 posals as to international protective measures. From this point of view the most 

 important results contained in the report are as follows: 



The quantity of the annual landings of plaice from the North 

 Sea can be estimated, in average figures, at 45 million kg., or about 203 million 

 fish, ranging from 2 to 30 years of age, and from 10 to over 70 cm. in length, 

 with an average weight of 225 gr. The length of greatest density of these landings 



