_ 19 — APPENDIX H: GAESTANG 



The experiments carried out in the areas defined are separately enumerated as far as pos- 

 sible in Table VII at the end of this report, and the sizes, numbers, and abundance of fish 

 are separately distinguished for each experiment. In the case of areas where a large amount 

 of fishing has taken place in the same season of the year, it has been convenient to combine 

 a certain number of the hauls. This applies particularly to the narrow waters of the Scottish 

 JFirths and to a certain number of the Danish and English experiments, 



In order to generalise the results for each area in a form suitable for graphic represen- 

 tation upon the charts, the average characteristics of each area have been calculated numeri- 

 cally from these data for each quarter of the year. The results of these calculations are contained 

 in a special table (VIII), and the average features previously mentioned have been entered upon 

 the charts ' for each area separately, and for each quarter of the year. Although it cannot be 

 pretended that at the present stage of the investigations the figures so displayed are in all cases 

 thoroughly representative of the areas in question, it is possible by reference to the figures in 

 Table VII, which shows the range of fluctuations observed in each area, to determine the repre- 

 sentative or other character of the average figures displayed upon the charts. The object of those 

 charts at the present time is not to claim anything like a final character for the figures in questioi\, 

 but to demonstrate such results as are of a representative character and to show that the 

 whole plan if carried out completely will in a short term of years yield a reliable represen- 

 tation of the sizes and distribution of the different species of fish over the international area. 



Although the collation of the material forwarded by members of the Committee may 

 perhaps be regarded as a sufficient task at the present stage of the investigations, I may 

 perhaps with advantage draw attention to some of the chief results shown by the treatment 

 of the data adopted in the present report. A comparison of the quarterly charts showing the 

 statistical averages in the different areas reveals certain marked contrasts in regard to the 

 size and abundance of the plaice at difterent seasons of the year. Taking the chart for Jan- 

 uary to March as typical of the winter period and that for July to September as typical of the 

 summer quarter, it will be seen at once that over the whole area between the Dogger Bank 

 and the coastal grounds the average size of the plaice captured is markedly higher in the 

 winter than in the summer quarter. 



Neglecting the most inshore grounds as necessarily subject to considerable fluctuations, 

 according to the depths investigated, it is apparent that in the winter quarter the average 

 size of plaice in the area under consideration rarely falls below 30 cm., the sizes from 32 to 

 40 cm. predominating over the greater part of the area. In the summer season, on the other 

 hand, an average size of 30 cm. is very rarely manifested, the average for the most part 

 varying from 24 to 29 cm. Taking the group of grounds from the Horn Eeef to the Dogger 

 Bank a diflerence of 10 cm. is shown to prevail in each of the four grounds into which this 

 region has been sub-divided. In the spring quarter (March to June) the average size approximates 

 to that in the previous season, but in general is slightly smaller. In fact over all the grounds 

 mentioned, between the Dogger Bank and the coastal grounds, the average size attains its 

 maximum in the .winter quarter and its minimum in the summer. Un the Dogger Bank, on 

 the other hand, although the northern half of this bank is not well represented in the figures 



' Replaced by Table VI in the present }jublication. 



