32 
of dabs. It will be seen, moreover, that the numbers of 
plaice which may be caught in an hour gradually decrease 
from north to south in our district, rising however again at 
the most southern station, Blyth Bay. Among the southern 
stations, dabs may also be said to decrease slightly from north to 
south including Blyth Bay. The two prime fish, turbot and sole, 
are directly opposite in this respect, the sole increasing towards the 
south and the turbot towards the north. 
The diagrams show the approximation of the lines representing 
the catches of the plaice and dabs, and that as a matter of fact in 
Cambois Bay the dab has been during the period, or at all events 
since about 1897, predominant. A consideration of the evidence of 
the first haul will prove that the dab is even more prominent in the 
southern area than those figures indicate (p. 41). 
The differences between the stations, and especially between 
the northern and southern divisions of the county, only apply to 
areas near to the shore at various parts of the coast. The results 
will be compared presently with the experiences of the fishermen 
(P- 67). 
8. — Annual Variations. 
The more important results as set forth in Table V. are expressed 
in diagram-form in Chart 2. It is at once apparent from a con- 
sideration of the tables and the diagrams that the experimental 
hauls point to a gradual but distinct improvement in flat fish having 
taken place m the regions experimented in during these fourteen 
years. The various stations also indicate the general increase in 
the numbers of flat fish, and that means especially of plaice and 
dabs. 
It has been natural for us in the light of these experiments as 
the results have become manifest from year to year to correlate the 
increase with the passing of the byelaw prohibiting trawling in the 
Northumberland area. The byelaw came into force in 1891, and the 
experiments commenced in 1892. Any other explanation does not, 
at all events, so readily occur to us. It may be suggested, however, 
that our experiments show merely that a wave cf plenty reach- 
ing a maximum in 1903 has characterised the period, and that it 
is now showing signs of an inevitable decline. If this is the case, 
then such a normal gradual increase has taken place during sonic 
twelve years. As the experiments are to be continued, it will soon 
be apparent whether such a continuous diminution in numbers will 
