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dered, it would really be more profitable than the present prohibition against 

 sale, when both were looked to by the police with that attention which both 

 prohibitions necessarily require, is more than I can tell. It seems quite likely 

 to me that it would be possible by the present prohibition against sale to pre- 

 vent greater abuses of valuable fish under the size limit — and that is the 

 main point after all. — 



The most difficult part of the whole problem, both with respect to its 

 theoretical and its practical side, is now remaining: tvhich size limit ought 

 then to be fixed for the four species, and are they to be varied in the diffe- 

 rent parts of the country? — 



With respect to the plaice it must be said that the present size limit, 

 8 inches to the base of the caudal fin (9 3 / x to the tip of the caudal fin), is very 

 suitable when only one size is to be fixed for the whole country; but there is no 

 doubt that it would be better for the sake of local interests, if it were possible 

 to have three different sizes, 1) of 7 — 8 inches to the base of the caudal fin, 

 in the Baltic Sea south of a line Copenhagen — Gjedser, 2) of c. 8 — 9 inches, 

 south of the isle of Hjelmen — Sjfellandsodde, and 3) of 10 — 12 inches for the 

 Cattegat: all measurements taken to the base of the caudal fin, which in prac- 

 tice, when the caudal fin is shrinking, is a particularly good point to mea- 

 sure to :;: ). — 



It must be said here, however, that it would be very bad for the fisher- 

 men, if the size limit of the smallest marketable plaice in the Cattegat was 

 suddenly fixed at 12 inches instead of 8; nay, even 11 and 10 inches would 

 present difficulties. Some months or half years would jDass before the whole 

 stock grew so much, and in that time but little could be caught. Afterwards, 

 to be sure, it would be so much the better, but as it cannot be said with cer- 

 tainty, at any rate not at present how long this growing-time would last, it- 

 seems more reasonable to make this change by degrees, from 8 — 9—10 — 11 — 

 12 inches, with an interval of one year between each step. We should then 

 also get the opportunity, perhaps, of seeing, partly by trying to protect the 

 plaice in the Linxfjord, partly by following the development of the whole 

 fishery in the Cattegat, whether it was improving and whether we had not 

 better perhaps go on beyond the 12 inches; for only experience can give 

 answer to this question. 



Measures of length to the base of the caudal fin are very practical: and if it were 

 required by law that all flat-fishes which are dried were to keep their heads on, the 

 control would be much easier. Particularly with dried fish there are going on 

 many abuses of fish under the size limit. Eegulations as to weight would here 

 be practically useless; nay, by going in a cauf a fish migt become » illegal « in the 

 course of a very short time. 



