SEA-FISHERIES LABORATORY. 101 
The members of the scientific staff who remain have had 
their time fully occupied with useful work, as will be seen 
from the notes which follow. 
Work AT THE Pret LABORATORY. 
It was found to be impossible, under the existing war 
conditions in the District, to carry on any fish-hatching at 
Piel in the spring of 1915, and it will be the same again during 
the present season; but, as Mr. Scott’s report given below 
shows, the practical classes for fishermen were successfully 
conducted, in a somewhat modified form—which may or may 
not have to be followed, if classes are held this summer, 
according as circumstances may dictate. Mr. Scott also gives 
an interesting account of the important sprat fishery which 
has recently been developed in Morecambe Bay, and which 
seems to be a notable example of one of the minor fishing 
industries which might be promoted in our coastal waters. 
HERRING WORK. 
Our share in the scheme of investigation of the races 
of herrings found off the British coasts, drawn up by the 
Board of Agriculture and Fisheries a few years ago, has been 
entrusted to Mr. Riddell, and his reports upon his work during 
the years 1913 and 1914 will be found in our last two Annual 
Reports. The investigation has become a much more extensive 
one than was contemplated at first, a considerable number 
of observations on each fish have had to be made and recorded, 
and the amount of data to be worked up was large. A con- 
siderable amount of Mr. Riddell’s time during the past year 
