RV Huxley contribution to the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (Scotland, the northern section, was treated differently). Fishery investigations began in September 1902 under the directorship of Walter Garstang. The work consisted of systematic exploration of the North Sea trawling grounds at different seasons of the year, together with studies of growth and migration of plaice "Pleuronectes platessa" based on tagging experiments, examination of the food of fish and the nature of the seabed. Detailed catch records from North Sea survey stations between 1902 and 1903 were summarised in a report published by Garstang in 1905. Research continued until
RV Platessa RV "Platessa" was handed back to the Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom) after 20 years in service, she was replaced by the "RV Corella". In 1968 the RV "Platessa" was sold to private owners (H.J. Lamprell Ltd) and after sinking in Hamilton Dock, Lowestoft in 1975 she was eventually hulked at Lake Lothing where her remains lay for many years. She was recorded as still extant in Lake Lothing on August 19th 2015, and from examination of Google Earth images it seems that she continues to exist as one of two wooden wrecks (the other being the MFV Yellowtail) in