212 BRITISH FISHERIES 



dependent on each other. On the one hand, 

 there was the hydrographical work — the study of 

 the physical conditions of the sea, the temperature 

 and chemical composition of oceanic waters and 

 their movements ; and on the other, there was 

 the study of the plankton, both from the point 

 of view of hydrography and the natural history 

 of economic fishes. Then there were numerous 

 other departments of marine research, such as the 

 migration of fishes, the distribution in the North 

 Sea and other areas of the various stages of fishes, 

 the nature of the bottom fauna, the distribution 

 and abundance of fish eggs, and the elaboration 

 of uniform statistics of the sea-fisheries by the 

 participating States. The conference recommended 

 that a central organisation be created to co- 

 ordinate the researches, to prepare publications, 

 and to act as an intermediary between the different 

 governments. 



The scheme thus propounded by the Christiania 

 conference was accepted by the various States re- 

 presented, and the legislature of each voted a sum 

 sufficient for the purpose. Germany, Norway and 

 Sweden, Holland, and the Senate of Finland accepted 

 the programme, and agreed to continue to take part 

 in the researches for the period of five years pro- 

 posed by the conference. Denmark voted a sum 

 sufficient for three years' work, and decided to con- 

 sider whether the results achieved at the end of that 

 time would justify their continuing their support. 



