12 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 
Fisheries, in order to carry on for that Government department 
investigations of national importance on the best methods of 
utilising the immense shoals of sprats that frequent our coasts 
at certain times of the year. Through the courtesy of the Assis- 
tant Secretary at the head of the Fisheries Division of the Board 
we are permitted to publish in this report so much of Dr. 
Johnstone’s work as is completed. Dr. Johnstone also contri- 
butes an article on some bacteriological methods. 
With the assistance of Mr. Scott and Miss Lewis I have 
been able to draw up a further instalment of observations on 
the distribution of the plankton of the Irish Sea throughout 
the year, with some conclusions as to which are the dominant 
organisms of most importance in connection with the food of 
young fishes. tar 
I sincerely hope that before the next of these Annual 
Reports is due to appear, normal scientific fisheries work will 
have been resumed throughout the Lancashire and Western 
Sea-Fisheries district. It is with the view of pointing out the 
importance of losing no time in the necessary reconstruction 
of our staff and full programme of work that I have written 
the following paragraphs. 
RECONSTRUCTION. 
In the period of reconstruction and necessary development 
of all material resources that hes before us, Sea-Fisheries 
Research and Education must play an important part. The 
industries, such as those of Agriculture and Aquiculture, 
which have to do with the production of food-matters for the 
people must ever be of prime importance, and anything that 
affects their prosperity ought to receive full consideration 
and public support. 
It is a notable sign of the times that m a “ Memorandum ” 
for the consideration of the Minister of Reconstruction, the 
Scottish Steam Drifters Association representing the Herring 
OT EE 
