COMMITTEE B — DECEMBER 1903 (26 ) 
charge. He thought the latter to be the most important factors. The idea involved 
in the term “standard trawl” was that of a “standard fishing unit”, and he did 
not see how this could be other than purely theoretical. The real and practical 
method of standardisation was to determine hy all possible means, hooks, nets, 
trawls and modifications of trawls, the fish population of any ground. If the 
results so obtained were called the “total catch”, then the partial catch of any 
particular trawl might be standardised by reference to this total catch. It might 
then be possible to draw comparisons, by means of curves showing the proportions 
of fish caught on different grounds by different trawls. 
Dr. Hork thought that all acknowledged that a practically identical trawl 
was sufficient, and that on the fixed stations they should also use other gear. 
Dr. Winn enquired whether a vast number of comparative experiments 
would not be needed, because of the great number of disturbing factors that had 
to be taken into consideration. 
Dr. Heincxe said that he did not think a few more experiments would give 
better results, but that thousands might, as in the case of plankton. Fishes escaped 
through the meshes of every net and could not be measured; so experiments were 
needed in the same place with a variety of the nets already in existence, as well 
as with others still to be devised, e. g., Dr. Kyin’s new net. 
Mr. Garstane said that his idea in bringing up this proposal for an approxi- 
mate standard trawl was not to raise any question of theory, but to reduce the 
range of error. The differences between their results would be less with uniform 
gear than if different apparatus were used. A sufficiently good trawl which would 
suit the majority of the vessels might have its weight varied by means of heavier 
or lighter ground chains of definite weight, and samples of the smaller fish which 
escaped could be taken by fixing an extra smallmeshed cod-end of pre-determined 
size round the usual one; but if the weights of the ground rope etc. were left to 
each individual, no real comparisons could be made. 
Dr. Horx remarked that it would be necessary to indicate exactly the nature 
of the trawl ground rope, cod end, etc. in the records. 
Mr. Garstane then asked that the comparative trawling experiments might 
be repeated from year to year, as an alternative to the adoption of standard 
apparatus. 
Dr. Horx stated that undoubtedly the ordinary commercial trawl would be 
best for North Sea work and for certain experiments on the fixed stations. He, 
