88 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



considered they were doing well. The price per score pounds 

 during the fishery of 1916 varied from 7s. 6d. to 10s. Od. in 

 August, September and October, and to 14s. Od. in November. 

 This sum was clear profit, as it was exclusive of railway carriage. 

 The increase in price compared with pre-war times was not 

 due to the fishermen's avariciousness. It was largely owing 

 to the competition amongst the dealers to get hold of the 

 supplies, and the fishermen were naturally quite pleased to 

 be so well paid. The increase in the cost of production does 

 not arise here, as most of these stake-net men have small farms 

 along the coast adjacent to the fishing area. Fishing with them 

 is really a side line which may be very profitable sometimes. 

 The Roosebeck plaice were sold to the public in the local 

 fishmongers' shops at from 6d. to 9d. per pound according to 

 size. There does not appear to be much economy in buying 

 the smaller sizes as the loss involved in preparing them for 

 cooking is considerable, as shown by the following table : — 



Loss in weight due to removal of fins, tail, head and gut. 



Size 20 cm. Loss 24 grammes = 32 % of original weight. 



„ 25 cm. „ 55 „ = 30-5 % 



„ 26 cm. „ 54-3 „ =30-4% 



„ 27 cm. „ 62 „ -28-3% „ 



„ 28 cm. „ 77-5 „ =27-5% „ 



Then, of course, the food value is further reduced by the weight 

 of bone and the amount of moisture present in the muscles. 

 Amongst other fish captured in the stake-nets beside 

 plaice was a large conger eel, 8 feet 1 inch in length, with a 

 girth of 36 inches and weighing 87 pounds. It was exhibited 

 for a time in one of the Barrow fishmongers' shops at a charge 

 of Id. per visitor. The resulting income was handed over to 

 the Y.M.C.A. Hut Fund. 



