SEA -FISHERIES LABORATORY. 129 



of age were represented in these catches, though not 

 abundantly, and the older fish were not numerous enough 

 to affect the form of the curves. 



The difference between these plaice and those taken 

 off the coasts of Lancashire and Cheshire is best seen 

 when we compare the proportion of the whole catch 

 consisting of fish less than 8 inches long. In June and 

 July about 46 per cent, of the catches made in Beaumaris 

 Bay were plaice less than 8 inches long. The corre- 

 sponding percentage for Red Wharf Bay in July was 44. 

 But on both grounds from August onwards the proportion 

 of fish less than 8 inches long drops to about 25, and in 

 some cases was less than 20. 



Obviously the question of the restriction of the mesh 

 has little interest in relation to these grounds. The 

 proportion of small plaice taken by the 6-inch trawl-mesh 

 in those months when the fish are abundant is so small 

 that we cannot conclude that the general use of this net 

 can do any harm to the fishery, and if the fishermen wish 

 to employ it in these in-shore waters I see no reason why 

 they should not be allowed to do so. 



Catches made in Cardigan Bay. 



Comparatively few sample catches have been made in 

 Carnarvon and Cardigan Bays, and I quote only those 

 taken from the trawling grounds off New Quay Head, 

 in Cardigan Bay. We have to deal here with fairly large 

 plaice; thus the modal sizes vary from 29 cms." in 

 February to 21 in May. Obviously a migration of 

 smaller fish was taking place about the end of this 

 period; thus the modal size is decreasing all the time, 

 and it is evident, from a consideration of the curves for 

 March, April and May that this is due to the swamping 

 effect on the large fish population, of a host of immigrant 



