— 4 — 



consisting of fishery statistics, especially as regards the catch, and also based upon 

 numerous weighings and measurements of food fishes, carried out at the various markets, 

 particularly as to the plaice. Extensive international investigations were at the same 

 time instituted with regard to the biology and especially the age, reproduction and mi- 

 grations of this species. These essential additions to our knowledge led to the passing 

 by the Central Council of the following resolution at the London Congress in June 

 1907, a measure which further advocated the course of dealing practically with the 

 plaice question: 



"That in drawing up the Report on their work during the years 1902 — 07 the 

 Council shall have special regard to reaching a conclusion as to the desirability or other- 

 wise, of preventing the capture of undersized plaice. 



"That with this object each country interested in the North Sea plaice fisheries 

 should furnish answers as far as possible to the following questions: 



1. "Whether small plaice taken by the trawl can and, having regard to the ordi- 

 nary practice prevailing in trawlers, would be returned to the sea alive; 



2. "Whether any, and if so what, size limit would make it un remunerative to fish 

 on grounds on which such fish occur in greatest abundance; 



3. "■ Whether if excluded from such grounds by reason of the imposition of a 

 size limit, it would be remunerative to fish elsewhere notwithstanding the imposition of 

 the size limit." 



At the next Meeting of the International Council, in July 1908 at Copenhagen, 

 there was a partial reorganisation of the biological programme with the aim of making 

 the results of the International Investigations as soon as possible useful to the practical 

 fisheries, all in accordance with the wishes of the participating States. With regard to 

 the plaice, the most important food-fish of the North Sea for the time being in practical 

 regards, the following resolution was agreed to: 



"With regard to the plaice, the Council believe that a very large amount of infor- 

 mation has already been gained, but the data are at present insufficiently collated and 

 summarized. The Council, therefore, recommend, with a view to throwing light on 

 the points referred to in the resolution passed in London in 1907 (Procès- Verbaux VII, 

 1907, p. 42) that, in the first instance, a report should be furnished by each country 

 on the whole of the work that has been done therein on this subject, and that the offi- 

 cial delegates in each country shall to the utmost of their power be responsible for these 

 reports being rendered to the Council not later than the i='- February 1909; and, in 

 the second instance, that a general Editor be appointed, who shall recieve a remuner- 

 ation for his incidental expenses and whose duties shall be to collate and summarize 

 the above reports in a draft general report, which he shall furnish by a date to be 

 fixed by the Bureau, and which after being circulated among and revised by the origi- 

 nal collaborators, shall be discussed by the Council and shall form the basis of their 

 corporate reply to the several Governments in regard to the plaice fishing." 



This resolution of the London Meeting is concerned with the three questions refer- 

 red to above, which deal with the vitality of fish caught in the trawl and the possibility 

 of an effective size-limit. These questions are brief, yet full of meaning and requiring 

 for their solution, which is desired by every one of the countries interested, the entire 

 sum — weighed deliberately — of all the information, which the International Investi- 



