International Commission for the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries

The sixth annual meeting of the International Commission for the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries was held in Halifax, Canada, June 11–15, 1956, under the chairmanship of Captain T. de Almeida (Portugal). After the opening addresses the panels reviewed the research programs being carried out in each regional sub-area and proposed various improvements in sampling, reporting the tag recaptures and statistics of catch and effort, and related matters. An ad hoc committee, which had been appointed to consider difficulties reported by the French Commissioner in connection with the mesh regulation proposed at the fifth annual meeting, recommended that research should be undertaken to determine the consequences of using multiple cod ends and to find methods of strengthening the cod end without diminishing the selective effect of the gear. Another ad hoc committee was appointed to deal with a suggestion that the exemption from mesh regulations be amended. With respect to the establishment of the two ad hoc committees, the Commission decided to discuss at its next meeting whether it should refer regulatory and enforcement questions to ad hoc committees, or whether a standing committee should be formed to deal with such problems.