SEA-FISHERIES LABORATORY. 65 



still continues in some laboratories on land, but co-ordinated 

 observations at sea have practically ceased. I am informed 

 by Professor C. Ostenfeld, of Copenhagen, that some of the 

 neutral countries (Norway, Sweden and Denmark) are still 

 carrying out a small portion of their programme — chiefly 

 herring work, and in the case of Sweden and Denmark a certain 

 amount of hydrography. It is eminently desirable in the 

 interests of scientific fisheries investigation that every country 

 that can should, whenever possible, get back to its normal 

 programme of observations at sea, or any portion of it, in the 

 hope that the gap may not be larger than is inevitable. 



But even though the usual programme of work at sea 

 is in abeyance, no investigators need remain idle. There is 

 still much to do in the in- shore waters and on our neglected 

 sea-beaches. Now seems an opportunity to concentrate 

 attention upon the cultivation of the shallower seas, and there 

 is no doubt that much still remains to be done in both the 

 investigation and the exploitation of the industries of the 

 coastal waters. 



Now that considerable areas of our usual British fishing 

 grounds are closed to trawlers, any increase of employment 

 on the seashore and in shallow waters may be of direct 

 and immediate advantage both to the men and to the 

 country. Such industries as shellfish cultivation, shrimping and 

 prawning, whitebait and sprat fishing, if extended and exploited 

 judiciously, will add to employment, will increase the food 

 supplies of the country, and may lead to the establishment 

 of permanent industries of a profitable nature. On this coast 

 we have been alive to such possibilities for some time past, 

 and much of our work has been directed towards showing 

 the improvements that might be introduced in connection 

 with the shellfish industries. It has been shown in our reports 

 how mussels and cockles can be fattened and greatly increased 

 in value by transplanting to better feeding grounds, and 



