§ 34. Sir Murdoch MacDonaldasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has considered the Report on the experiments carried out in the sea-loch Sween in Argyllshire, where sodium nitrate and phosphates were distributed in the water for the purpose of increasing the food supply of fish; that these experiments were successful in increasing at a 19 phenomenally rapid rate the size of plaice and other flat fish; and whether he intends to have the experiments followed up by others with the same object in view of the importance of the subject.
Mr. JohnstonI have been in close touch since the commencement with the experiments referred to in the Question, and I have read with much interest the preliminary report of the results, which indicates a remarkable growth-rate on the part of plaice and other flat fish. The initial experiments appear to show that the artificial feeding of plankton leads to an increase of about 300 per cent. in the rate of growth of these flat fish over the normal rate. Arrangements have been made for the experiments to be continued on an extended scale during the current year.