770 REPORT — 1892. 



In any case we have to consider that the fish landed at Grimsby represent only 

 a tithe of those brought ashore by the whole of the North Sea boats. 



As a matter of fact only a single small ' fleet,' of about twelve sail, has been 

 ■working the small fish grounds from Grimsby during the present year. 



Only one steam-trawler, so far as I know, has regularly worked these grounds, 

 though a good many others have made occasional trips to them. The balance of 

 boats bringing in small plaice has been made up by a certain number of sailing smacks, 

 * single-boatiug,' and working the small fish grounds with more or less regularity. 



Now from Hull alone two large fieets, each of about 250 sail, have been on 

 these grounds during the present fleeting season, as has also the large fleet from 

 Yarmouth, Lowestoft, and Barking. 



Certain of the Hull and Boston steam trawlers have also visited the grounds 

 from time to time. 



The grounds alluded to lie along the Dutch, Gerui.tn, and Danish coasts, off the 

 islands of Terschelling, Schiermonnikoog, Nordevey, Heligoland, and Sylt, ofl:" the 

 Horn Reef, and along the Danish coast as far north as Haustholm. 



It may be said at once that the greater part of all these grounds lies outside the 

 territorial area. Some of them are 14 or 1.5 miles from land, and in one case the 

 small fish extend even 40 miles from the coast. At the same time the productive 

 area of some grounds extends as close inshore as the vessel dare go. 



Besides the small plaice landed, great numbers are caught, especially on the 

 grounds last referred to, which are too small to meet even the modest require- 

 ments of the present market, and it may be assumed that as trawling is at present 

 conducted nearly the whole of such small fish are destroyed. 



Destruction by Foreign Boats. — Besides the large British trawlers, there fire a 

 certain number of small boats of Dutch, German, or Danish nationality which are 

 engaged in the small plaice trade. 



On the whole, I think the damage inflicted on the fishery in this manner is com- 

 paratively small, since the German and Danish boats are careful to return the fish 

 which are too small for market uninjured. 



Our own fishermen agree that the share taken by foreigners in the destruction 

 of immature fish is insignificant. 



The German steam trawlers appear to avoid the small fish grounds altogether. 



Tiirbot. — Besides the small plaice, the grounds which I have been referring to 

 yield large catches of turbot. The bulk of these are immature. 



Thus in June the aggregate of thirty-one catches was 4,623 fish. The propor- 

 tion of undersized fish amongst these was 82 per cent. 



During July eighteen catches comprised 2,4.'i5 fish, the proportion of small being 

 69 per cent. The diminution is probably explicable by the fact that the inshore 

 parts of the grounds, chiefly frequented by the very small fish, became less pro- 

 ductive in that month. 



A certain number of immature turbot occur on all grounds frequented by the 

 species, but I found that the aggregate of fish in the market during ten days before 

 the regular opening of the eastern grounds season comprised only 30 per cent, of 

 small. 



Brill. — Contrary to the statements that have been made on this subject, I find 

 that the proportion of immature brill landed from the eastern grounds is entirely 

 insignificant. It is not sufficiently recognised that the brill is a smaller fish than 

 the turbot, and matures at a smaller size. Most of the immature brill which I 

 have seen came from the Lincolnshire coast. 



Soles. — I do not think that the proportion of immature soles now caught on the 

 eastern grounds is a high one, though there is evidence that in former years, when 

 the boats went closer to the shore, great numbers were destroyed. 



There is a fishery, ostensibly shrimp trawling, in the Humber, and though the 

 number of fish caught in this way is not large nearly all are immature. 



The use of a fish-trawl in the Humber is prohibited, but it is possible that the 

 law is frequently evaded. 



Undoubtedly there is considerable destruction of immature fish, chiefly plaice, 

 but also including other forms by the various methods of inshore fishing practised 

 in the Humber, but I do not propose to deal with that subject here. 



