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important questions from the point of view of the interests of the country 

 in question. These individual reports were then handed over to a special 

 Reporter (General Editor) whose task it was to compile a general report 

 (Total Report) upon the results arrived at. The greater part of this report is 

 now ready, and we may quote therefrom the following as the reporter's views 

 as to the conclusions that may be drawn from the reports which have reached 

 him with regard to the alterations in the stock of plaice occasioned by the in- 

 tensive trawl fishery : 



1) It is very probable that the density of the plaice shoals in the 

 North Sea has decreased in a noticeable manner, and the absolute size of the 

 plaice stock thus diminished, and 



2) The diminution of the plaice stock has not affected all size-classes in 

 an equal degree, but especially the larger and older plaice. This appears in 

 the catches and landings from a relative reduction in number and weight of the 

 large, and increase of the small plaice, as well as from a decrease in the average 

 size of the plaice. 



In connection with this statement of the final result, the General Editor 

 arrives at the conclusion that the only protective measure for the plaice, which 

 can be considered, is a minimum size for landing and sale (i. e. prohibition 

 against landing and sale of plaice under a certain length). Such a size-limit 

 can, however, only provide real protection of the undersized plaice, as long as 

 it is possible to return undersized fish, when caught, alive and unharmed to 

 the sea. If this be impossible, then the measure could only be made effective 

 by fixing the size-limit so high as to render trawling no longer profitable on 

 grounds, where the most undersized plaice are found. And as it has appeared, 

 that with the methods of trawling now in general use most of the plaice are 

 brought to the surface either dead or with greatly impaired vitality, we have 

 thus, even in the latter case, when the fish are returned to the water, to reckon 

 with the consequent death of one-half to two-thirds of their number. The 

 only possible way, then, of rendering protective measures absolutely effective is 

 in the General Reporter's opinion for the trawlers themselves voluntarily to 

 restrict their fishery, and renounce the working of the young plaice grounds. 



The whole of the material is shortly to be considered by an expert 

 Committee whose duty it will be to report to the Council their view of the 

 conclusions to be drawn from it. 



