— 10 — 



sentatives of the various Governments. The Council however contend that the drafting 

 of heads of a convention will afford an opportunity of setting out in detail the steps 

 which in their opinion require to be taken to further the preservation of the plaice fishe- 

 ries. On the understanding that this is the sole intention of the proposal, His Majesty's 

 Government are ready to agree to the suggestion of the Bureau, the question of the 

 form which any convention of the subject may ultimately take being left to be dealt 

 with in the usual manner and through the usual channels". 



Plus tard, dans une note du 20 juillet 1914, le Secrétaire d'Etat de Sa Majesté 

 Britannique propose que le Gouvernement français soit invité à participer aux négo- 

 ciations concernant la conclusion éventuelle d'une convention pour la protection de la 

 phe dans la Mer du Nord^). 

 Pays-Bas. Le gouvernement des Pays-Bas est disposé à entrer en négociations pour la 

 conclusion d'une convention concernant la protection de la pêche de la plie dans la 

 Mer du Nord et le Skager Rack sur la base des principes proposés par le Conseil Inter- 

 national pour l'exploration de la mer à Copenhague, à la condition que tous les Etats 

 intéressés, et notamment aussi la France, soient prêts à y participer également. M. 

 LouDON a ajouté cependant que la mesure-minimum proposée étant trop basse pour 



1) It is noteworthy that according to the Report of Proceedings of a meeting in 

 London June 26th, 1914, of Representatives of Authorities under the Sea Fisheries Regula- 

 tion Act 1888, page 6, the English President of the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries, 

 Mr. Runciman, said on that occasion : 



"... One important administrative event of last year should now be recorded, for it 

 will be the basis of future action. The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea 

 has at last come to an agreement as to the minimum size under which plaice should not 

 be permitted to be landed or sold in the markets of Northern Europe. It is a great 

 achievement that at last all parties to the Council should have come to an agreement on 

 this itopic. The recommendations of the Council will take the form of a Convention as 

 between the various maritime powers who are parties to it, and the Convention must then 

 receive Parhamentary sanction, and I propose as soon as a Convention has been signed, to 

 introduce a Bill giving the necessary Parhamentary authority to the undertaking entered 

 into by this country. I think you will all agree that the great diminution in the catch of 

 flat fish, which appears to be progressive, is one for anxiety for every one of us ; and if 

 anything can be done by way of international action to prevent that diminution we, cer- 

 tainly the greatest of all fishing powers, should be a party to it. But it is impossible to 

 act alone. As has been so often said at this Conference in the past, any action which is 

 taken alone might only lead to giving distinct and unfair advantages to fishermen who fly 

 other flags. Now, at last, we have the Northern European nations agreeing to the limitation 

 which we shall attempt to legalise, and as we can all act together, and I hope simultane- 

 ously, we trust this will have some effect upon the catch of plaice in the future". 



