SEA-FISHERIES LABORATORY. 205 



prevented it from being placed at our disposal to obtain 

 the required fertilized eggs, but through arrangements 

 made with Mr. Leadbetter, of Fleetwood, a member of 

 the Committee, I was permitted to visit the fishing 

 grounds in the sailing trawler 'Harriet.' Accompanied 

 by one of the bailiffs from Piel, we left that place early 

 on the morning of the 10th March, having previously 

 arranged to meet the ' Harriet ' outside the harbour not 

 later than 6 a.m. A heavy sea was running outside, and 

 no sign of the vessel could be seen, so it was decided to 

 run to Fleetwood, and on arrival there we found that she 

 had not gone out owing to the storm. By this time, how- 

 ever, the weather showed signs of improvement, and the 

 captain arranged to sail that same afternoon. During the 

 time we were waiting at Fleetwood we visited the fish 

 market, and had a look at the condition of the fish landed 

 from the trawlers that morning, and found that the 

 majority of them had been nearly mature when captured. 

 "On putting out to sea the captain of the 'Harriet' 

 decided to try the off-shore fishing grounds lying in line 

 with St. Bees Head and the north end of the Isle of Man, 

 whence most of the fish were being taken. The first 

 hauls were unproductive of spawning fish, and it was not 

 till midnight of the 11th March that we were successful 

 in our search. In this haul spawning Cod and Haddock 

 were found, the eggs were quite mature, and no difficulty 

 was found in ' stripping ' the fish and afterwards fertilizing 

 them. After fertilization, the embryos were placed in 

 clean buckets filled with fresh sea-water, and everything 

 made ready for running -into Piel Harbour at daylight. 

 Unfortunately, however, during the night a heavy sea 

 broke on board, carrying away the buckets from their 

 fastenings, and sweeping the contents overboard. In the 

 next haul mature Haddock were again found, the eggs of 



