The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1903-01-03
THE WAYS OF THE FISHES
INTER ESTTNG STUDIES BY FOR
ETGN GOVERNMENTS.
Professor Heinicke of HeiigOiand
First Sought to systematizc Meas
urement.

Parliament has talked, commissions
have sat, and the nation has conferred
on the all-important subject of the cap
ture of immature fish; even the ex-
elusive atmosphere of hit House of
Commons has been invaded by small
lalce brought there to convince skep-
tical legislators Of the dangers involved
in the constant netting Of understood
fish and of the necessity of doing some
thing to conserve and So if possible,
improve what has been so well called
the harvest of the sea-" The outcome
of all the discussions and deliberations
is au nited effort on the part of the
powers whose territories border on the
North Sea to secure evidence scientifi-
cally tabuiated and collected on pre-
arranged system which may tell US
more of the habits of the jewellers in
deep waters, and throw light on the i'm
portant points of growth and migration
of the food fishes: and so indicate
means whereby international action
may stop the feared depletion of sup
ply and help toward a yearly crop
from the ocean which shall be safe and
certain for all time.
The foregoing is the outcome of the
conference at Christiania last year
which took a more practical view of
the problem than was indicated at the
International gathering at Stockholm in
1909, and the trim-built trawler which
has just steamed away from the mouth
of the Thames represents one-half of
this countrys contribution to the work
of research on the sea. The government
has commissioned the Scottish Fish
cry Board and the Marine Biological
Association TO undertake the task
Jointly, the former dealing with the
northern and the latter with the south
ern portion of the British area, a grant
of e42,OOO being equally divided be-
tween them.
A generous member of the Council of
the Biological Association purchased a
trawler and placed it at the disposal of
those commissioned to undertake the
task and this vessel converted below
decks out of all recognition, and ap-
propriately named the Huxley, has just
gone on it's first practical cruise to the
fishing grounds of the Northern Sea-
LIE Ulu lSlLooIil VI l4AC Al""lVA ID tio"
a saloon accommodating three or four
naturalists, (chief of whom is Mr.. w.
Garstang), and a coal bunker is now
small fish hold necessary for the new
work to be undertaken on board A
deck house, with good light has
been built for the purposes of labora-
tory. 1t contains glass table for meas
uring the live fish. the measure show
ing through underneath and so being
safe from the salt water insepara BILE
from such an operation. Here it will be
possible to measure five or six hum
dred fish a day, make entries of their
dimensions in books kept for the pur-
pose, label the fish, and then return
them to the sea to await events. In
the storeroom below there are all the
requisites for the scientific investiga-
ton, with artfully arranged cupboards
of preserving jars.
It was Professor Heinicke of Heligo-
land who first sought to systematic
measurement. He found that by taking
the dimensions of several thousands of
fish. results were obtained which
seemed to point to possibility of CLASH
ficatien respecting age. This is one Of
the metnOdS Wn1CE Will De IOllOWeQ
regularly during the Huxleys cruises
to study the Economies of the ages In
seeking to trace the migration of fish
the system of labelling which has been
agreed upon will, it is hoped, yield i'm
portant results.
AS Mr.. Garstang pointed out, the ex-
act method may differ on the ships of
the various countries. Germany for
instance, inserts metal ring near the
tail bearing initials and a number cor
responding with the entry in the ships
books. The English plan, after cap
turing and demasuring the fish, is to
pierce a silver pin carrying a metal
disk just below the dorsal fin; this is
securely rivited on the other side. "E."
standing for England, and the ledger
number is engraved. and then the cap
tive is restored to the sea. Effective
steps are being taken to make all
fishermen acquainted with what is go