20 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



eussion of the situation took place and a committee was appointed, representing - the 

 bordering- States, to meet at Rochester, November 10, 1891, where the .subject of secur- 

 ing uniform legislation in the two countries was to be discussed, together with other 

 interesting subjects. This was a very successful meeting, and the more the idea of 

 uniform fishery laws for the Great Lakes was discussed and thought of the more it 

 commended itself to those interested as being desirable. 



The next of the international meetings was held in Hamilton, Ontario, December 

 9, 1891, and this meeting also was largely attended, and a great deal of interest was 

 evinced in the discussion of the assimilation of the fishery laws of the two countries. 

 The last meeting was held in Detroit on December 21 and 22 of 1892. This was a 

 very importaut meeting, and was largely attended by representatives from all the 

 States interested, as well as Ontario. The Dominion commissioners, appointed to 

 make inquiries concerning the Ontario fisheries, also attended and took part in the 

 discussions, as did a number of large owners of fishery interests. The result of this 

 meeting was that certain important resolutions were adopted. These Avere as follows: 



1. All small fish, and those unfit for food of all kinds, when taken in nets should be replaced in 

 the water where taken alive, and that fishermen should not be allowed to take snch fish on shore nor 

 expose them for sale. 



2. That no string of pound nets used in the lakes shall extend more than 4 miles from shore. 



3. That one-half part of all channels between islands and elsewhere where fish migrate to spawn 

 shall be kept free from nets of all kinds at all seasons. 



4. That all whitefish taken of less than 16 inches in length and all salmon trout less than 2 pounds 

 in weight shall be immediately returned to the waters where taken aud shall not be exposed for sale. 

 That all herring less than 8 inches in length and all wall-eyed pike less than 12 inches in length 

 shall be returned to the waters where taken and shall not be exposed for sale. 



5. That the month of November in each year be made a close season in all the Great Lakes for 

 whitefish, herring, and salmon or lake trout. 



6. That in the judgment of this conference there should be a close season for black bass, and that 

 such season should be between the 1st of April and the 15th of June, and all kinds of fishing, including 

 spearing, should be prohibited in the close season. 



Your committee would further recommend that all penalties fixed for violations of any laws that 

 shall be enacted shall be made not only to apply to those who take fish, but also to all persons who 

 buy, sell, transport, or have the same in possession. 



It may be seen from this that some real work has been done by these international 

 fish conferences in laying out what work is to be done in the future. One thing is 

 admitted by all — that our joint fisheries in the Great Lakes are rapidly on the decline, 

 and that it is absolutely necessary that some steps be taken, and at once, by those 

 legislatures interested to prevent, by enacting judicious laws and regulations, the 

 failure of this most valuable heritage. It is plain from the evidence of the best 

 authorities that the same close season will apply to all parts of these great waters, as 

 there is very little variation in the time of spawning of the salmon'idSB, the most 

 important commercial fish of the area. Canada is perfectly willing to abide by the 

 close seasons, which are already embodied in her law, if the different States bordering 

 on these waters will enact and enforce the same laws, or such as maybe agreed upon, 

 which must conduce to the improvement of the fisheries. It would add greatly to the 

 prospect of securing such legislation if this large and influential Congress should see 

 fit to recommend, by a suitable resolution, the adoption of the resolutions passed at 

 the Detroit meeting December 21, 1892, and thus further the movement for procuring 

 uniformity of the fishery laws of the Great Lakes. 



