DECLARED A MISTAKE.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LX, Issue 10698, 17 October 1931, Page 2

DECLARED A MISTAKE.

COXSHHVATION OF FISH. Dr Harry M. Kyle, of Hamburg and Glasgow, marine biologist, told a conference’ of distinguished scientists at Malamcck, Quebec, that from his 30 years of experience hi the subject lie believed most sea conservation schemes were more harmful than beneficial. In other words intensive fishing was of more benefit to a sea fishing ground than restricted fishing. Dr Kyle said ho could find no scientific basis for conservation of fish. During the Great War there was practically no fishing in the North Atlantic and tabulated figures proved, he said, that certain species of food lish had greatly decreased in size during this period of conservation. This was due to overcrowding of fish, individual fish thus securing insufficient nourishmeu. Among other species the result was an actual depopulation, due l» (he older fish monopolising the food supply and the younger ones gradually dying off. Other effects of wholesale conservation were the increase of enemy fish and the retarding of maturity due to overcrowding. this in turn leading to depopulation. Conservation in Heligoland waters during the war had so lowered the average size of plaice by over-population that it had taken ten years of intensive post-war fishing to bring the average back to prewar standards.