Fishery Research in the Eastern Mediterranean

Abstract

THE eastern basin of the Mediterranean still JL offers almost a virgin field for the marine biologists. Apart from such occasional visits as those of the German Pola and the Danish Thor Expeditions, the main source of information now comes from the Fisheries Research Directorate of Egypt. This Directorate, founded originally as a Fisheries Research Office in 1919 under the direction of Mr. G. W. Paget, has passed through various vicissitudes; but it should now be sufficiently established to prove its value. As in most such undertakings, work of this nature starts from small beginnings. The foundations were well laid by Mr. Paget in his broad surveys of the lake and sea fisheries and his careful study of the sponge grounds; and by his inauguration of a system for the collection of necessary statistics. Special attention was then also paid to the growth and culture of the grey mullets which make up so large a proportion of the catches from the Delta lakes.