WORLD'S FISHERIES CONGRESS. 



1.-REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE GENERAL COMMITTEE. 



Hon. Marshall McDonald, 



U. 8. Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries: 

 Sir: The World's Congress Auxiliary of the World's Columbian Exposition of 

 1893, having extended an invitation for the assembling in Chicago, during the period 

 of the Exposition, of persons interested in the various departments of human activity 

 in all countries, a number of persons charged with duties, either directly or indirectly 

 associated with the fisheries and fish-culture of the United States and foreign conn- 

 tries, concluded to utilize the opportunity thus presented by establishing a Fisheries 

 Congress. 



The preliminary meeting was held in Chicago on April 25, 18J>3, at which were 

 present Hon. Marshall McDonald, U. S. Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries; Dr. G. 

 Brown Goode, Assistant Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, in charge of the 

 U. S. National Museum; Prof. S. A. Forbes, director of the Illinois State Laboratory 

 of Natural History, and Dr. Tarlcton H. Bean, assistant in charge of the Division of 

 Fish culture of the U. S. Fish Commission and representative of the Commission at 

 the World's Columbian Exposition. 



On motion of Dr. Goode, Marshall McDonald was elected chairman and Dr. T. H. 

 Bean secretary of the general committee on organization, Dr. Goode and Prof. Forbes 

 constituting the other members of the committee present. Upon Dr. Goode's motion, 

 seconded by Prof. Forbes, Mr. E. G. Blackford, of New York City, Capt. J. W. Collins, 

 chief of the Department of Fish and Fisheries at the World's Columbian Exposition, 

 Mr. B. E. Earll, and Mr. N. K. Fairbank were proposed as additional members of the 

 general committee. A resolution was passed providing that three members should 

 constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. 



Many names of persons interested in the objects of the Congress were proposed 

 for membership in the advisory council. The list included leaders in science, the 

 lislieries, and fish-culture, in the United States and other countries. 



The members of the general committee then outlined a provisional list of topics 

 suitable for the occasion. The synopsis presented included : 

 The Administration of the Fisheries; 



The Methods Employed in the Capture aud Utilization of Fishery Products; 

 The Relation of Scientific Investigation to the Fisheries and Fish-culture; 

 A General Inquiry into the Subjects of Fish-culture and tlie Present Condition 

 of the World's Fisheries. 



F. C. B. 1893 1 1 



