In accordance with instructions from the Council of the Association, I arrived in Cleethorpes on February 4th last, and proceeded to make investigations into the biological questions presented by the fisheries in the North Sea. A large portion of my time was, however, absorbed by the work of preparing a summary of our knowledge of the natural history of marketable marine fishes, for publication in book form, and consequently the observations to be here recorded are not so extensive nor so complete as I should have otherwise been able to make them. It must also be noted that they are confined to a period of only three months—from the beginning of February to the end of April. The work has consisted only of observations in the fish market at Grimsby Docks, and of the examination of fish there procured in the Cleethorpes Hatchery; I have not been able to make any voyages on fishing boats. I have received from Mr. Holt, my predecessor at this post, all the assistance that information concerning persons and circumstances could afford me, and I have had the valuable services of Mr. Clark, the caretaker of the Hatchery.