Each of these principal endeavours embraces a number of special questions, 

 which were formulated in detail at the Conferences in Stockholm 1899' and Chris- 

 tiani 1901 2, and were definite^ included in the program of the international 

 investigations by the resolutions of the authoritative meeting in Copenhagen 1902 ^ 



It is clear, that the large and varied tasks undertaken by the international 

 investigation of the sea, could not be completed within the space of two years. 

 Foreseeing this, the first international Conference in Stockholm in 1899 unanimously 

 recommended to the participating states, that the proposed program of investigations 

 should be given at least five years for its accomplishment*- The Christiania Con- 

 ference also resolved to recommend to the participating states, that a space of at 

 least five years should be at the disposal of the investigations. As it appeared, 

 however, at the authoritative meeting in Copenhagen 1902 ^ that grants had been 

 preliminarily voted by some of the participating states for the period of three 

 years only, and the wish was in some cases expressed at the same time, that 

 Concentration practlcal rcsults should be chiefly aimed at, the International Council, having regard 

 "invèltigatkfnT ^^^ thcsc Hmitatious in fact and in time, resolved '^ to concentrate the biological 

 investigations of the first years on certain practical and important problems, and 

 in particular, to make the two following problems the object of investigation in 

 all the countries interested in the fisheries of the North Sea and neighbouring 

 waters. 

 Special problems (a) Thc migratious of the principal food-fishes of the North Sea fisheries, 



especially of the cod and herring. 



(b) The question of overfishing of those parts of the North Sea, including the 

 Skager Rak and Kattegat, mostly fished in by the British, Dutch, German and 

 other trawlers, with special regard for the plaice, sole and other flat-fish, as well 

 as the haddock. 



To ensure uniformity in carrying out these investigations, two Committees^ 

 were formed by the International Council, each under the direction of a convener; 

 one of these, Committee A, was to investigate the problems connected with the 

 migrations of fishes, the other. Committee B, the problems connected with over- 

 fishing. The investigations of Committee A extend over the entire region under 

 survey in the international scheme, more especially, the North Sea, Norwegian 

 Sea and Barents Sea; the investigations of Committee B are restricted to the North 



1 Conférence Internationale pour l'exploration de la mer à Stockholm 1899. Résolutions tex- 

 tuelles, p. 2 — 28. 



2 2. Conférence Internationale pour l'exploration de la mer à Christiania 1901. Texte des Réso- 

 lutions, p. I — 27. 



3 Procès- Verbal de la (première) réunion du Conseil Permanent International pour l'exploration 

 de la mer à Copenhague, Juillet 1902. p. 1—37. Rapports et Procès- Verbaux. Vol. I. 1902—03. 

 Copenhague, 1903. 



4 Résolutions textuelles de la Conférence internationale pour l'exploration de la mer réunie à 

 Stockholm. 1899. p. i. 



5 Procès- Verbal de la réunion du Conseil international pour l'exploration de la mer réunie à 

 Copenhague. Juillet 1902. Annexe A. Rapports & Procès- Verbaux. Vol. I. 1902—03. p. 32. 



ö 1. c. : p. 16 — 19. 



7 Procès-Verbal de la réunion du Conseil international à Copenhague de 1902. p. 18 et p. 29. 



