SELECT COMMITTEE ON THE SEA FISHERIES BILL. 



191 



Appendix F. — continued. 



No. 6. Prof. H. HENKING : The FISHING of the NORTH SEA by means of 

 GERMAN STEAM TRAWLERS (according to statistics collected by Harbourmaster 

 Dtige in Geestemiinde). Mittheilungen des Deutschen Seefischerei- Vereins, No. I., 1901. 



(Extracts, translated from the German original.) 



" After the exhaustive data provided by Garstang concerning the results of the trawl 

 fishery of Great Britain, it can no longer be doubted that a constant diminution in the 

 products of the fishery in question has taken place during th« last decade. 



" The results of the Geestemtinde statistics render it possible to corroborate this 

 observation of a fall in the catch. We obtain the following Jiverages for the 5 years 

 -available for consideration : 



" These figures refer essentially to the above-mentioned 20 fishing banks. The 

 reduction in the catch has continued constantly since 1894, *in spite of the fact that a 

 very substantial increase in the catching power took place during 1895 and 1896 when 

 the otter-trawl was brought into use on steam trawlers. 



" Although for definite reasons I would prefer to avoid the expression ' over-fishing,' 

 nevertheless there can be no doubt that the rapid diminution in the amount of the 

 catch constitutes a serious danger and deserves the most careful consideration." 



" The following three propositions with reference to the fisheries in the North Sea are 

 therefore permissible : 



1. The catch must yield marketable* produce, and that in sufficient quantity to 

 render the fishing operations a profitable business. 



2. There must be a sufficient replenishment (i.e., by immigration or gTowth) to 

 balance the quantity of marketable produce annually fished out. 



3. The number of steamers or other fishing vessels ought not to exceed a certain 

 maximum. 



" An indication that the number of steamers in the North Sea has already exceeded 

 the critical point can be recognised in the fact that the steamers disperse in ever- 

 increasing number towards the more distant and less fished regions. 



" The annual replenishment of the stock of ground fishes in the North Sea, fi'om the 

 point of view of marketable produce, must be regarded as insufficient, according to the 

 data at present available, inasmuch as the general proceeds are falling off". 



" The notion of what is marketable, and what unmarketable, changes in the course 

 of time. Already many species of fish are brought to market in large quantities and 

 sold, which only a few years ago would have received no attention, e.g., many species of 

 skate and ray. The smaller fishes now also realise better than formerly. As the 

 maximum size of fishes is attained with increasing rarity, the market acquires a tendency 

 to lower the minimum size of the marketable species. In England this, as is well known, 

 has given rise to the lively complaints which have been raised against the destruction of 

 undersized fish, especially flat fishes, and which have already led several times to the 

 formulation of definite legislative proposals. 



" Among us in Germany there are no market transactions in such undersized fish, on 

 which account the statistics furnish no material for a numerical determination of their 

 quantities. On that point, as to what proportion of the part of the catch thrown 

 overboard by the fishermen consists in small unmarketable material, nothing accurate is 

 known. To ascertain that ought to provide a commendable task for the proposed 

 International Investigations in the interests of the sea fisheries." 



* The italics are Dr. Henking's. 

 t The North German Pfund is slightly heavier than 1 lb. avou-dupois. 



1-1 lb. avoirdupois. 



At Bremen 1 Pfund equals 



