8 
The above figures show that in Blytli Bay the fiat fishes 
have steadily increased ; in Cambois Bay they decreased at 
first, but in the last two years have increased largely ; in Druridge 
Bay they similarly decreased in 1803, remained steady during 1894 
and 1895, and in the last two years have increased; in Alnmouth 
Bay they have also increased during the last two years ; in Skate 
Roads they were fewer in the second year of the experiments there 
(1895), and have since steadily increased. 
The 
average 
return of 
fiat 
fishes for 
each 
year for 
all the 
bays is 
Blyth 
Bay. 
Cambois Druridge Alnmouth 
Bay. Bay. Bay. 
Skate 
Boars. 
Total. 
Average. 
1892 
... 118 
.. 157 ... 
224 
— 
— . 
. 499 
.. 166 
1893 
... 110 
.. 99 ... 
167 
... 186 ... 
— . 
. 572 
.. 143 
1894 
... 137 
.. 80 ... 
185 
... 167 ... 
295 . 
. 864 
.. 173 
1895 
... 143 
.. 84 ... 
185 
... 179 ... 
129 . 
. 720 
.. 144 
1896 
... 161 
.. 189 ... 
260 
... 293 ... 
196 . 
. 1099 
.. 220 
1897 
.. 100 
.. 202 ... 
235 
... 221 ... 
214 . 
. 975 . 
.. 195 
These similarly show that during the first four years little change 
took place, whilst during the last two years a distinct improvement 
in the number of mature or saleable flat fish has occurred. It 
may he said that the fiat fishes, during the last two years, have 
increased to the extent of 30 %, compared with the four previous 
years. This improvement, if continued, will show that the three-mile 
restriction in this district is conferring an immense benefit, even 
more than collateral experiments and recent discoveries would lead 
us to suppose. 
These remarks only apply to the fish retained — the saleable fish 
as they might best be termed. But the fish not retained deserve 
great consideration as well. We roughly, hut still fairly accurately, 
draft out our catch into two divisions: (1) the fish we have just 
been considering and (2) the fish which are returned to the sea. 
This separation of the saleable, and for a great part mature from 
the small and altogether immature fish, is a very simple process. 
Those to be retained are picked out from the contents of the net, 
and the rest are the fish to which I now wish to draw attention. 
An attempt was made last year by an instance to give an idea 
of the size and numbers of such fish. The yearly spawning habits 
give such contrasts in size that it is possible to pick out the fish 
with considerable accuracy, and we are thus enabled to say that 
