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SEA FISHERIES LABORATORY. ~~ 15 
not choking it, as was the case with the old style of net.” 
Mr. Walker in a letter to ‘“‘Nature” (vol. XLV, p., 176) 
states that in his experience in the estuary of the Dee the 
shrimps are further inshore than the young fish and he 
proposes that in that locality shrimping should only be 
allowed within quarter of a mile of the shore. He further 
recommends the formation of young fish preserves on 
selected grounds along the shore by laying down large 
boulders which would effectually prevent trawling on that 
sround. This may possibly be worth doing in a few 
special localities, but obviously cannot be generally adopted. 
The use of the Shrimp trap, as used on the French coast, 
at Croisic and elsewhere should be tried here; and I am 
‘inclined to think that Shrimp culture as detailed below 
(p. 35), might be carried on with success in our estuaries 
and if it proved remunerative, and was likely to give 
employment to a number of the present Shrimpers, that 
would make it easier to impose restrictions upon trawling 
in areas where, and at such times as, young fish are known 
to be present in large numbers. 
It is a much disputed question whether it is any ase 
returning to the sea the young fish which have been 
brought up in a trawl-net and are emptied on to the deck 
In various stages of more or less exhausted vitahty. If it 
is the least use, if even a small proportion of them will 
eventually recover, then very strict regulations should be 
made and enforced compelling the men to return the young 
fish to the sea at once. Ina case lke this where it must 
be very difficult to be sure that regulations are. being 
strictly carried out it would be important to try and 
educate public feeling amongst the men by teaching them 
the vital necessity of letting the young fish have a chance 
of growing to maturity. 
The Scottish Fishery Board have been endeavouring 
