154 THE SEA FISHERIES 



Protection Association, which is, for brill, 12 in. ; for lemon soles, 

 II in. ; for plaice and soles, 10 b. ; and for turbot, 12 in. The 

 second suggested limit of size was that of the Marine Biological 

 Association, based on the sizes at which the various species come 

 to sexual maturity, namely 17 in. for plaice, 12 in. for soles, 18 in. 

 for turbot, 15 in. for brill and 12 in. for lemon soles. These experts 

 did not, however, recommend the adoption of quite so high a 

 limit as that of sexual maturity. The Committee rejected both 

 these suggestions as impracticable, and proposed a smaller limit 

 approximating to that then in force in certain foreign countries, 

 namely 8 in. for soles, plaice, turbot and brill. 



The next step of importance in this connection was the Bill of 

 1900, which was referred to a Select Committee of the House of 

 Commons. The evidence given before the Committee again revealed 

 a marked difference of opinion on the question of a suitable size 

 limit, between the witnesses who appeared on behalf of the trade 

 and some of the scientific experts. The Committee's report, pub- 

 lished in July, 1900, gave rise to an acrimonious correspondence 

 in the Times respecting the value of some of the scientific evidence. 

 Put briefly, the attitude of the trade was in favour of a size limit 

 which would in their opinion be sufficient to prevent trawlmg on 

 the grounds in question ; in the case of plaice, the most important 

 fish concerned, this limit was 8 in. For soles the limit was also 

 to be 8, and for turbot and brill, 10 in. The Committee thought it 

 was proved beyond doubt that there was a very serious diminution 

 of the supply of certain kinds of flat-fish, particularly in the North 

 Sea. Of late years the total quantity of such fish caught had 

 remained nearly stationary, a fact which, taken along with the 

 enormously increased catching power, and the vastly larger area of 

 sea subjected to fishing operations, seemed to show that the ancient 

 fishing grounds were much depleted. The whole of the local evidence, 

 differing in many other respects, was practically unanimous on this 

 point. The Committee thought the evil a growing one, and that in 

 default of a remedy the consequences to the fishing industry m the 

 diminished supply of flat-fish would at no very distant future be 

 disastrous. They were of opinion that one of the causes of this 

 diminution of the supply was undoubtedly the destruction of 

 immature fish. In their view no effort should be spared (i) to 

 arrange for international treatment of the subject generally, and 

 especkUy to regulate for the North Sea area ; and (2) to provide 

 for the equipment of the Government Departments "^ charge of 

 the subject, so that they may effectually pursue scientific mvesti- 



^XkLg, however, to the fact that an important witness repre- 



