76 



THE SEA FISHERIES 



and the smacksmen, are the Nelson Buoy (estuary of the Ribble), 

 the Horse Channel (estuary of the Mersey), and the Redwharf and 

 Beaumaris Bay grounds. From the analysis of a large number of 

 measurements of individual plaice taken on these grounds, John- 

 stone concludes that the imposition of a size limit of 20-5 cm. (8 in.) 

 for plaice, would deprive the fishermen of the following proportion 

 of all the fish caught in the trawl. 



Irish Sea Plaice 

 percentage of trawl-caught fish under 8 in. 



If it be made illegal to land plaice in the summer months less than 

 32 cm. in length, then the following percentages of the present 

 catch of the summer plaice fishery between Blackpool and the 

 Liverpool Bar wiU be useless to the fishermen. 



Lancashire Coast. Summer Plaice Fishery 



percentages of trawl-caught plaice under 22 cm. (8f in.) 



May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. 

 76 74 70 62 62 53 



Johnstone argues that the adoption of a size limit would differen- 

 tiate in favour of one class of fishermen. An 8 in. size limit would 

 prevent about one-half of all the fish caught on the Nelson Buoy 

 grounds from being landed. Presumably such legislation has for 

 its object the prevention of trawling on such a ground as this, 

 the argument being that the fishermen would refrain from fishing 

 on such small plaice grounds if they were prevented from landing 

 the bulk of the fish caught. These particular grounds are mainly 

 fished by the inshore fishermen from second-class half -decked boats. 

 The imposition of a size limit can only be justified by assuming that 

 the fish which would otherwise be taken wUl remain alive in the sea, 



