COUNCIL-MARCH 1920-APPENDIX — 82 — 



bility of doing it in two cruises, the first one to be started in this spring from Gi- 

 braltar as a transatlantic cruise of three months' duration, and mainly of prepara- 

 tory and reconnoitring nature. Various biological problems will be dealt with, 

 and care will be taken to find out the most adequate form and size of the imple- 

 ments to be used on the main cruise. 



Based on the results of the first minor cruise, the routes of the main cruise 

 will be finally laid. This cruise is expected to be started in 1921. The lines to be 

 explored are thought to be laid with the object of having the scheme carried out 

 in several sections of the large anticyclonic current of the North Atlantic, the 

 sections radiating from a centre situated in about the middle of the Sargasso 

 Sea. Our object will then be to procure a complete figure, physico-chemical as 

 well as biological investigations being made in close connection with the hydro- 

 graphical. A staff of older and younger scientists and experts are prepared to take 

 part in the expedition, which will be given a character as versatile as possible. 

 The scientists will try to examine the material on board, and will not be restricted 

 to collect material, as on several previous expeditions. The expedition is expected 

 to be carried through in one year. 



After this Report had been given Mr. Maurice proposed that Resolution 10 

 of the Procès-Verbaux of 1912, Volume 15, page 62, be confirmed in respect of 

 the present year, and that the programme be carried out in the countries con- 

 cerned as far as present circumstances permit. 



This was agreed to. 



See the resolution pag. 40 — 41. 



Appendix VIII. 



Regarding an International Size-limit etc. for the Plaice in the North Sea, the 



Skagerak, and the Kattegat. 

 Bv C. F.Drechsel and A. C. Johansen. 



At the meeting of neutral delegates of the International Council, in Copenhagen, 

 in May 1918, the General Secretary placed before the delegates a letter in which it was 

 stated that, before the present war, the scientific fishery experts of the countries 

 participating in the international investigation had come to the result that the intense 

 fishery in the North Sea had rather seriously affected thestockof several species of food 

 fishes in the North Sea and adjacent waters. Indications of so-called overfishing had 

 occurred, as, for instance, evidences of an increased preponderance of young and small 

 fishes over the older and larger ones and the absolute scarcity of large and bid in- 

 dividuals. 



