2.-ADDRESS OF THE CHAIRMAN OF THE GENERAL COMMITTEE ON THE 



WORLD'S FISHERIES CONGRESS. 



By MARSHALL McDONALD, 

 United States Commissi oner of Fish and Fisheries. 



As the representative of the general committee intrusted by the president of the 

 World's Congress Auxiliary with the organization and conduct of this Fisheries Con- 

 gress, it becomes my pleasant duty — personally it is my grateful privilege — to extend 

 to you, in behalf of the committee, a cordial welcome and to invite the representatives 

 of foreign nations who may be here present and the State commissioners who are 

 charged with the administration of State fishery interests to active and earnest par- 

 ticipation in the discussion of the various questions, which will have forcible and 

 skillful presentation in tbe papers to be read at the different sessions of the Congress. 

 A like cordial invitation is extended to all who, by reason of their immediate and 

 personal relations, their experience, or their knowledge of fishery matters, are inter- 

 ested in the objects for which this Congress convened. 



The program of the proceedings which you have before you will indicate clearly 

 the range and scope of the deliberations of the Congress, as well as the diversity and 

 complexity of the various problems which necessarily arise in seeking a rational and 

 fruitful administration of fishery interests. 



By reference to the list of papers contained in the program you will find that no 

 important question relating to the fisheries has been ignored or neglected. 



The administration of the fisheries, the methods and the influence of methods on 

 production, the relations of the fisheries to science and to economics, their conserva- 

 tion and regeneration by artificial methods, and their present status and conditions, 

 all have careful and deliberate presentation from different standpoints. 



These different addresses, and the discussion growing out of them, will, I trust, 

 be fruitful in bringing about a consensus of opinion in reference to the important 

 questions relating to the administration of the fisheries, and in reference to which 

 there should be concurrence of views and concert of action to secure the results we are 

 all striving for. 



I am disposed to think that in this country we have relied too exclusively upon 

 artificial propagation as a sole and adequate means for the maintenance of our fish- 

 eries. The artificial impregnation and hatching of fish ovaand the planting of fry have 

 been conducted on a stupendous scale. We have been disposed to measure results 

 by quantity rather than by quality, to estimate our triumphs by volume rather than by 

 potentiality. We have paid too little attention to the necessary conditions to be ful- 

 filled in order to give the largest return for a given expenditure of effort and money. 



The argument that underlies and justifies fish-cultural methods, and which has 

 built up and liberally sustained our State and National Commissions, is that the per- 

 centage of survival under artificial methods is so largely increased that by hatching 



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