COUNCIL — JULY 1905 — APPEND. E 88 
(1 em. mesh). As all the Belgian experiments were carried out in the shallower 
waters near the coast, these experiments are of special importance, in that they 
enable us to make a quantitative analysis of the fish-population on the inshore 
grounds where the young plaice live. 
Table IV and IVa show the relative abundance of the various species which 
share the inshore grounds with the young plaice. It will be seen, that with excep- 
tion of Gobius minutus the plaice is there by far the most abundant. It should 
be mentioned also, that of the 4012 plaice captured and measured in the first 
series of experiments only 23 were over 25 cm. (10 inches), and more than 50°/o 
were under 15 cm. (6 inches). 
Table V is of importance in showing the relative sizes of the various species 
which can escape through the meshes of the cod-end. Thus the great majority of 
the plaice (P. platessa) are retained in the main net (2—2°5 cm. mesh), when they 
have reached a size of 11cm. and above (4-5 inches and above), but plaice of 17 
and even 20 cm. (7 to 8 inches) may occasionally escape. Soles and flounders on 
the other hand are more able to escape. According to these experiments the 
various sizes of the dab (P. limanda) are taken by the ordinary net in as great 
proportions as the plaice, but as the dab seems able to swim up in the water 
more than the plaice does, this conclusion is considerably modified when we take 
other parts of the net into consideration (see later under England). — 
The results of these experiments agree in the main with those carried out 
by Dr. Furron (XII. S.F.B. Rep. for 1893), but a comparison with these may be 
postponed to the final report. 
The experiments carried out by Holland and England are as yet 
too few in number to give conclusive results, and no tables regarding them need 
therefore be given here. The problems in both cases have proved to be exceedingly 
difficult of solution, involving much time, labour and expence. The problem taken 
up by Holland was to determine, whether any variation in the size or weight of 
the ordinary ground-rope would lead to a greater capture of fish. If so, the con- 
clusion would be, that a certain proportion of fish escape being taken in the net, 
because the ground-rope and therefore the whole trawl passes over them. ‘The 
experiments so far made show, that such a result depends a great deal on the 
conditions of fishing. Thus, a comparative experiment made in winter, January 
