181 
believing that though the supply has been so largely increased, 
there is still room for large expansion in the South African 
m@ercet.. (here are; times of plenty during the year when 
the supply is sufficient to meet the present demand, but there 
are also many occasions when the fish supply is inadequate. 
There is also the possibility of a large export trade, such as 
brings large sums of money to such places as Canada, New- 
foundiland, etc. This therefore is an additional reason for 
taking steps as soon as possible to ascertain the extent of the 
fishing grounds of South Africa. 
The second aspect of the question which I have mentioned 
is the necessity for a fuller knowledge of the habits of fish, 
their movements from place to place, their spawning habits, 
the conditions which determine their appearance and _ dis- 
appearance, etc. These are fundamental questions in the 
development and conservation of the industry. To mention 
one instance, it is stated that some fish in South Africa depend 
on the estuaries and rivers for spawning purposes, and that 
the cause of the “ disappearance ”’ of certain fish is certain 
methods of fishing in these places. Again, it is alleged that 
set nets in the sea at certain places so disturb the regular 
movements of such fish as the Geelbek that the fishing by 
line for these has fallen off very considerably. Again, certain 
fish like the Snoek are extremely erratic in their movements, 
and it is with difficulty that the time and place of their probable 
occurrence is known. 
It is probable that further research into the peculiar cur- 
rents, changing temperatures and salinities of the South 
African seas would throw a great deal of light on many of 
the practical questions of the fishing industry, and this should 
also be a feature of any general fishing survey. 
As to the actual steps that may be taken to carry on the 
survey, there are peculiar difficulties at the present time in 
the way of carrying out the work, particularly in the matter 
of procuring a suitable vessel, but, under normal conditions, 
this difficulty would not be experienced. The trawler, the 
“ Pieter Faure,” is still in the possession of the Government, 
and could be again employed in the exploratory work for 
which it was designed, or a.vessel could be hired for a time 
from one of the trawling companies. 
The initiation of the work, however, need not, be delayed, 
as there is a great part of it which can be carried on by the 
occasional hire of a boat working in conjunction with the 
present Marine Laboratory at St. James. 
The work at the Marine Laboratory also was much crippled 
at the time of the finanical depression, and though it has been 
kept working, and much valuable information has now been 
obtained, particularly concerning the spawning and general 
habits of fish, information which has been of great practical 
(O.P. 31918] 
