KOMM. A u. B - SEPT. 1902 — ANLAGE 



Appendix 



Letter from the Danish member of the Committee, 

 Dr. C. G. JOH. PETERSEN 



Nijhorg, August 31st 1902 



To the Conveners of Committees A and B. 



Not being able to meet in Edinburgh the 4*"^ of September I allow myself 

 to write what I intend to propose our „Danish Committee for the International 

 Investigations" to carry out during the first year 1903 as international Fishery-work. 



1) To carry out several times during the year, beginning early in 1903, 

 investigations of the flatfishes by means of suitable fishing apparatus: trawls, 

 seines, hooks etc. at fixed stations arranged in lines vertically on the Danish 

 shores in the North Sea, the Skagerrack and the Cattegat, from the shore to ca. 

 20 fathoms on the West Coast of Jutland, from the shore to 300—400 fathoms in 

 the Skagerrack and across the northern Cattegat; to register the hauls in a very 

 exact manner (cf. scheme from the „Danske biologiske Station"). This work will 

 make it possible, if sufficient cooperation in the North Sea is secured, a) to map 

 out charts over the annual groups, especially of the plaice, the sole etc. over the 

 whole North Sea; b) to estimate the multitude of fish per square Meter. To reach 

 this last result it is necessary that in all countries a standard fishing apparatus, at 

 least occasionally, must be used, e. g. an otter-trawl, having a headrope ca. 50 feet, 

 with and without small-meshed (1 inch square) bags outside the codend of the 

 trawl; c) to estimate by studying the practical fisherman's work, in comparison 

 with these charts, how many per cent, of mature plaice are caught for the year 

 etc. etc. I suppose that several others of the most important questions con- 

 cerning the biology of the plaice are going to be solved by means of such in- 

 vestigations. 



