— 167 — 
while the earlier material seems to indicate that the 1904 year class was also richly re- 
presented among this species. 
Year Haddock Coalfish 
ane a ae ES | Millions of 
u nme N ns are 
TE 6.8 24.7 | in Nomieyz 
As regards the cod, the age investigations in 1903—1906 were not carried out to 
such an extent as to permit of our employing them in the study of fluctuations among 
the year classes in the North Sea. The measurements, however, showed, as in the case 
of the haddock, that large numbers of small fish between 20 and 30cm. occurred in 1906. 
A very distinct difference is apparent in the composition in point of size for 1903—1905 
on the one hand and 1906 on the other. In view of the constant relation between size 
and age in the case of the young cod, we may, from the measurements above (Fig. 102) 
conclude that the 1904 year class must also in the North Sea have played an important 
part in the stock of cod. After 1906, I have no material available; it is however, intere- 
sting to consider the statistics for the years 1908—1911 (and partly 1912) as they render 
it at least highly probable that the conditions noted in 1906 also prevailed throughout 
these years. I have before me an interesting article by QuiBBon*) who, without any 
knowledge or mention of the investigations made, calls attention to the peculiar move- 
ment of the yield, also pointing out its remarkable similarity to that of the Norwegian 
fisheries. We may first of all take the total quantity of cod landed in England and Scot- 
land in 1908-1912. 
Cod; millions of kilos landed in 
Year England Scotland 
WEL. Skene eae 98 42 
LO ee 109 45 
TON ee lc 120 50 
NO 130 61 
HOOT N RE. nae 63 
It will be seen that the great increase commenced to make itself apparent in 1910. 
We will then consider the quantities (millions of kilos) of the different sizes of cod 
landed during these years in England and Wales, from all waters. 
Year “Small” “Medium” “Large” 
19082. CEE 17 25 55 
ICON 34 26 44 
IDIO ee 34 30 48 
LI on 37 31 53 
In 1909, we find an increase in the quantity of small and medium fish, in 1910 
and 1911 also in that of the large. This curiously resembles the increase in the Finmark 
fish in 1909 and 1910, and later among the skrei. 
*) Fish Trades Gazette, 26. July 1913, p. 35. 
