HOEK— INTRODUCTORY _ XVI 



The Bureaix was thus induced to bring it before the meeting of the International 

 Council of the 25* and 36"' of February 1904, and in the following manner: 



I. The International Council considers it highly desirable, that full and careful 

 statistics be collected at the chief ports of entry on the question of the destniction 

 of small fish, with especial reference to the size, place and season of capture of 

 young plaice and other flat-fish, and desires to bring before the governments 

 concerned the necessity of allocating out of the funds for fishery research at their 

 disjjosal, a provision sufficient for the thorough carrying out of this work. 



II. The International Council resolves that it is desirable, that in the event 

 of a law being passed in Great Britain giving powers to make experiments for 

 restricting the destruction of under-sized flat-fish, powers be also taken by the 

 various governments concerned to make experiments for restricting the destruction 

 of under-sized flat-fish. 



These proposals were accepted. In order to make the material as uniform as 

 possible, the Bureau drew up a circular with regard to the collection of the statistics, 

 special reference being made to the measurements of the plaice. This circular 

 was sent to the nembers of the Council in April 1904, and contained the following: 



1. The total quantity of the plaice landed at the port has to be determined 

 monthly. So far as this cannot be carried out by direct weighing, measure- 

 ment of volume, enumeration or other manner, a subsidiary estimate has 

 to be made. 



2. It has to be ascertained, what proportions of the total quantity are formed 

 by the various trade-divisions (e. g. large, medium, small). 



3. Measurements of the fish in the smallest category are specially to be under- 

 taken. Such measurements are to be made as often as possible and for as 

 many specimens as possible, and should indicate the total length, from the 

 snout to the tip of the tail, to the nearest 0'5 cm. 



4. It is of the utmost importance that the ground, where the measured fish 

 came from, should be ascertained with the greatest possible exactness. 



5. The collection of the statistics is to begin as soon as possible; in order to 

 procure immediately an explanatory model for Point i, the monthly total 

 quantities for 1903 should be ascertained as far as possible from existing 

 statistics. This may be done according to the chief trade-divisions already 

 in use. 



6. It would be of the highest value, for a number of the purposes of the 

 international investigations, if these statistical enquiries were not restricted 

 to the plaice, but were extended to include other flat-fish as well. 



7. Whilst the procuring of the necessary material is the work of the separate 

 states, the Bureau untertakes the further elaboration of the material sent to it. 



The most of the countries concerned began the collection of the material in 

 April and May; measurements and other data concerning many thousands of plaice 

 have been forwarded to the Bureau up to October, even longer by some countries. 

 The further elaboration of the material has been commenced; the conclusion of the 



