14 
began. The reason for tliis is not at all clear. Skate Eoads gave 
for about eight years a slight dowiiAvard tendency, but it may be 
said to have been on the whole fairly stationary. This year, how- 
ever, it has, as has already been pointed out, given us a record 
which will be very hard to beat. 
One of the most remarkable features of the season’s operations, 
however, was the large returns for soles. Every station participated 
in the increase, but Cambois Bay seemed this season to be 
particularly favoured. It is a pity that the inshore fishermen do 
not make any attempt to catch soles nowadays. At a time when 
Arenicola (the lugworm) and Nereis were far more extensively used 
in the district with small hooks, soles used to be caught, and often 
in good numbers. If the fishermen realised that this valuable fish 
was again to be had in numbers it would no doubt tempt many of 
them to return to the practice of a generation ago. 
From a consideration of the results for the season we are thus 
in a position to say that the condition of the inshore waters, as 
regards the numbers of the fishes, is quite satisfactory. The 
Committee’s district is to-day richer in the important fishes than il 
was when the experiments were started twelve years ago. The 
higher average which we pointed out characterised the latter hal: 
of the period is being maintained. 
