Abstract
SIX years have now elapsed since the commencement of the international fisheries' work by the seven nations concerned, and with the bulky literature and masses of tables and plates in hand it may be thought that now a stage has been reached which will demonstrate one way or another the position of the sea-fisheries, especially as it was stated that results of importance were early to be forthcoming. Yet in scanning the various publications no very definite general conclusions are apparent, and the question of primary importance to this country remains—excepting the statistics of the bureau—as far from solution as ever. To take the publications in the order above-mentioned, the first is Dr. Kyle's important statistics of the North Sea fisheries for 1906. So far as can be observed, the total of the sea-fisheries of each nation shows an increase both in quantity and value on the previous year (1905), with the exception of Ireland. In the case of such fishes as the cod and the haddock, the ever-recurring variability displays itself in an increase of both in Denmark and the Netherlands, a diminution in Germany, an increase of cod and a diminution of haddock in Belgium, an increase of cod in Sweden, and a great increase of the same fish in England and in Scotland. Along with this is a considerable diminution of plaice in Sweden, England, and Belgium, and a considerable increase in Scotland and the Netherlands, a great increase in Denmark, and a nearly stationary condition in Germany. Dr. Kyle points out, however, that this decrease is due to a diminished capture of the smaller sizes of plaice (e.g. in England, Holland, Germany, and Belgium). Much has been written about the decrease of the lemon-dab (or so-called “lemon sole”) in Scottish waters, yet in 1908 it brought 70,134l., or 1400l. more than in the previous year. In trie same way, whilst the sole and the turbot vary in the different nations, the dab remains stationary in Scotland, where it was supposed by its increase to be ousting the plaice. These statistics, which cover a much wider area than it is possible to allude to here, are perhaps the most important result of the international scheme, and they show how uncertain and variable sea-fishing is. Moreover, they demonstrate that whilst in one country the capture of a species may temporarily be diminished, in another it is increased. The comparative constancy of the totals and the large amount of fluctuation in individual species are points emphasised by Dr. Kyle. Further, no Continental nation approaches the share taken by Britain in this industry, England having 39 per cent, and Scotland 34 per cent, as their respective shares, the nearest being Holland with 12 per cent., Germany having only 4.7 per cent.
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References
Conseil permanent international pour l'Exploration de la Mer. Bulletin statistique des Pches maritime des Pays du Nord de l'Europe, vol. iii. pour l'AnnÃe 1906. Pp. 83. (Copenhagen: A. F. Host and Fils, 1909.)
Rapports et ProcÃs-verbaux des Réunions, vol xi., Juillet, 1907âJuillet, 1908. Pp. xxv+176+51. (Same publishers, 1909.)
Rapports, &c., vol. x., Rapport sur les Travaux de la Commission dans la Période 1908â7. (Same publishers, 1909.)
Twenty-seventh Annual Report of the Fishery Board for Scotland for the Year 1908. Part i., General Report. (Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd.)
Scientific Trawling Report, pp. 21, 25, 43, 76, &c., 1884, and in General Report, 1885, correspondingly.
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M., W. The Internatioinal Investigations in the North Sea and the Scottish Board's Annual Report 1 . Nature 82, 54–56 (1909). https://doi.org/10.1038/082054a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/082054a0