Remarks on the fluctuations in number and growth in marine populations

The small  fish   question  is  as  old  as  the knowledge  that  the  catches  secured   by North  Sea  trawlers  very  largely  consist  of undersized  fish  which,  having  been  killed by  the  trawl,  the  fishermen  throw  back  into  the sea.  International  investigations  carried  on  for many  years  have  verified  all  the  particulars  and have  furnished  detailed  descriptions  of  the  main facts  of  this  vital  problem.  Very  naturally,  too, suggestions  and   plans  have  been  made  for  the discussion  of  methods  by  which  „the  enormous waste“  might  be  eliminated.  „Size-limits“  for  the fish   landed,  „close  areas“   for   stocks   mainly consisting  of  small   fish,  and   „saving  trawls“ which  would  allow  such  fish  to  escape  from  the trawl,  have been  among  the  proposals  put  forward as  a  result  of  these  deliberations.  But  up  to  the present   these   proposals   have   only   aroused academic  interest,  partly  because  their  realization has  been  found  to  involve  many  difficulties  of  a practical  nature,  and  partly  because  the  fishing industries  —  and  therefore  the  governments  —  of the   various   countries   concerned   have   been antagonistic  to  any  limitation  of  their  unrestricted freedom  of  action.

Reports of the proceedings of a special meeting held on June 24th 1932, at Copenhagen; 'The Effect upon the Stock of Fish of the Capture of Undersized Fish'.

This publication is part of  Rapport et Proces-Verbaux des Reunions Vol. 80. To see all other articles in this volume, please click on the keyword "RPVR Vol. 80".