ASSIMILATION OF THE FISHERY LAWS OF THE GREAT LAKES. 19 



for the protection and preservation of this most important and valuable industry we 

 find that, founded upon the close observations of men appointed from time to time to 

 study the habits of the different fish, certain close seasons, corresponding to the 

 breeding 1 season of each species, have been established, during which the fish may, 

 unmolested, have access to their spawning-beds. Thus, for the most valuable com- 

 mercial family, the salmonidoe, the month of November has been set aside, during 

 which time they shall not be caught nor sold; for maskinonge and bass April 15 to 

 June 15 is the close season; pickerel, April 15 to May 15. 



These laws are carried out vigorously and are found to be in the interest not only 

 of the fishermen but also of the masses. True, the Canadian fishermen do a good 

 deal of grumbling in some localities where they can see their American cousins fishing 

 during the whole time when they have to hang up their nets. It is human nature 

 and not to be Avondered at. They invariably assert that they would be perfectly con- 

 tent to abide by the laws, which they say they know to be reasonable and proper, if 

 there were similar regulations on the United States shores; in a word, if there were 

 an "assimilation" of the fishery laws of the Great Lakes. 



Of course it is well known that there are difficulties in the way of accomplishing 

 this uniformity of laws, inasmuch as in Canada the control of the international waters 

 is vested in the Dominion Government, while with our neighbors the control is vested 

 in the different States; at the same time no separate State can enter into a treaty 

 with a foreign country — that right being reserved to the Federal Government; neither 

 can Canada, which is a colony, form a treaty with another country, for by our Consti- 

 tution that right is reserved to the British Government. 



However, no one would say that the matter is impossible; indeed the agitation 

 which has taken place within the last two years is already bearing fruit, for the Dom- 

 inion Government and the United States Government have shown their appreciation 

 of the work by appointing two experts to make inquiries upon all the subjects urged 

 by us. At the risk of being considered egotistical, we claim the credit for the incep- 

 tion of this idea and of instituting this agitation by bringing into existence those 

 conferences which have come to be known as the International Fish and Game Con- 

 ferences, the history of which is as follows: In the autumn of 1890 I was intrusted 

 by the Ontario Government with the presidency of the Ontario Fish and Game Com- 

 mission, appointed to inquire into the condition of the fish and game of the Province 

 and to suggest means for its propagation and preservation. We made extensive 

 inquiries throughout the Province and then naturally turned to the great States to 

 the south of us to inquire into the laws and regulations respecting these subjects and 

 luckily found New York State codifying its fish and game laws. We first asked if we 

 could confer with its commission, which was very courteously granted; in fact, the 

 codification committee procured a delay in reporting, on purpose to confer with the 

 Ontario commission, and a date was fixed for a meeting. 



Then we conceived the idea of extending the representation at the meeting, and 

 we wrote to the governors of the different States bordering on the Great Lakes asking 

 that each one send a representative to meet with us to discuss the advisability of 

 procuring a uniformity of the fish and game laws of the States and provinces bordering 

 on the international waters. The idea was at once accepted and almost everyone 

 promised to send a representative. We met in New York at the Fifth Avenue Hotel 

 on October 12, 1891, Canada and several of the States being represented, the Federal 

 Government also sending Dr. Hugh M. Smith, of the U. S. Fish Commission. Adis 



