RV Platessa tagged plaice were released off the Cumberland coast, using the RV "Platessa" during 1949 and 1950. In August 1951 echo-sounder traces were obtained over a wide area off Whitby by the RV 'Platessa', using a Marconi sounder. They were found to occur at a depth corresponding to that of a sharp thermocline, and small whiting about 3 in. in length, large Medusae, herring and sandeel larvæ were caught with a pelagic trawl at the depth of the trace. This work was reported in a ‘letter’ to the journal Nature in 1952. In 1950 the RV "Platessa" was involved in comparative
Demersal fish benthic fish are denser, with negative buoyancy so they can lie on the bottom without any effort. Most demersal fish are benthopelagic. As with other bottom feeders, a mechanism to deal with substrate is often necessary. With demersal fish the sand is usually pumped out of the mouth through the gill slit. Most demersal fish exhibit a flat ventral region so as to more easily rest their body on the substrate. The exception may be the flatfish, which are laterally depressed but lie on their sides. Also, many exhibit what is termed an "inferior" mouth, which means that the mouth