412 
Part III. — Ninth Annual Report 
p. 404). In [)oint of fact, the flat-fish in the Cattegat have been over- 
fished, and the fishermen are being forced to seek new ground further 
out. This is the conimon complaint all along the coasts of the North Sea 
— depopulation of the inshore waters. The Danish Fishery Department 
(as in Germany, Belgium, Holland, Sweden, &c.) take great pains to 
obtain consular and other reports regarding the fisheries and fish markets 
in other countries. In the present publication the abstracts of these 
reports occupy eighty-nine pages. 
Nearly two years ago a system of insurance for fishing-boats was begun 
with Government assistance. Up to the end of September 1890, 339 
boats, valued at 497,645 kroners, "were insured. 
In Denmark the seal causes much depredation, and a reward of three 
kroners is given for each seal's tail sent to the Zoological Museam at 
Coperdiagen. From 15th October 1889 to 31st December 1890, 1266 
tails were sent and paid for. The seals are killed by shooting them or 
by catching them in large tow-nets. 
Dr Petersen continues his scientific investigations into the fishing- 
grounds, the migration of flat-fish, &c. The marked plaice, as a rule, did 
not wander far ; thirty per cent, of the large mature plaice were recovered 
in the couise of a year, which shows that about a third of the fish on the 
fishing-ground are caught annually. There is a floating biological station, 
removed from place to place for the investigation of the fishing-grounds, 
and a gunboat ('Hauchs'), and the results will be published in next 
yeai-'s Keport. 
Among other things, the superintendent (Dr Peterson) is instructed by 
the Minister* (1) that the object is to procure scientific knowledge to 
promote the fisheries, and to serve to elucidate questions concerning 
fishery legislation ; (2) to make himself acquainted with scientific fishery 
work abroad as well as in Denmark ; (3) to specially direct attention to 
(a) the intlaence of modes of fishing, particularly the trawl (snurrevad) 
on the fish supply, the sea-bottom, and the food of fishes; (h) the spawning 
and spawning-ground of the food fishes, their reproduction and habits, 
eggs, larvse, and their connection with the most suitable close-times ; (c) 
the determination of immature fish, the most suitable sizes as a legal 
standard in different species, with special regard to the condition of ripe- 
ness; (d) the migration of fishes, their food and habits; (e) investigations 
on the 'closed waters' and their life; (/) to undertake, on the largest 
possible scale, hatching experiments with the different sea fishes ; (g) the 
connection between physical conditions and the fauna. 
Hydrographic and physical observations are being taken by four 
Government steamers simultaneously employed in Danish waters, and a 
sum of 3000 kroners has been set aside for the purpose. 
It is evident that the fisheries in Denmark are well organised and cared 
for. 
XL HOLLAND. 
As in other countries, so in Holland, close attention is being given to 
the question of the destruction of immature fish. Dr P. P. C. Hoek, 
who has charge of the scientific fishery investigations of the Netherlands 
Government, and who represented the Netherlands at the International 
Fisheries Conference last year in London, is now engaged in a study of 
this question, so far as regards the action of the beam-trawl in the terri- 
torial waters and on the high seas. This inquiry, when completed, 
* Ojp. cit., p. 185. 
