SEA-FISHERIES LABORATORY. 77 



transplantation. The beds were examined and counts made of 

 the numbers of cockles present in a square foot of sand on various 

 parts, but the investigation was not pressed since it had little 

 interest except where associated with some other shellfish 

 research, which w T e have not yet been able to start. It has 

 now been shown by the past work of the Committee that 

 conditions of local overcrowding and stunting of growth, both 

 with regard to cockles and mussels, can easily and profitably 

 be remedied by transplantation. The difficulties are adminis- 

 trative ones and are only to be removed by a rational system 

 of control over the foreshore fisheries. 



The Ribble Mussel Fisheries. 



In 1921 the mussels taken from the Ribble Estuary again 

 came under suspicion and several inspections were made by 

 Messrs. Scott and Birtwistle, with the cordial assistance of the 

 Harbour Authority. I saw this district in 1913, when there 

 was also suspicion that mussels growing there were communi- 

 cating typhoid fever. Very marked changes have occurred 

 and these are due to the extension seaward of the training walls 

 built in order to establish the new channel leading up to the 

 Port of Preston. Charts marked then and in 1921 show these 

 changes very clearly, and the altered conditions must be taken 

 into account. The fact is that an almost continual revision 

 of the charts representing the conditions of the mussel and 

 other shellfish beds, channels and sewer outfalls is quite 

 necessary in order that this question of sewage contamination 

 ma y be studied in a really satisfactory manner. Every case 

 that arises demands renewed local survey. 



There are two implicated regions in 1ii« i present case: 

 (I) the, mussel beds on the foreshore, adjacent to the St. 

 Annes-Lytham shore, and (2) the mussels growing on the 

 training walls, much further away from the primary sources 

 of pollution. The precise locality under (1) in question in 



