BULLETIN OF THE UNITED bTATES FISH COMMISSION. 99 



" If Northern tourists only knew of the green turtles, oysters, and fish" 

 that abound iu the beautiful Indian River all the year, they certainly 

 would speud at least a few weeks of winter in some oue of the many 

 hotels or comfortable boarding-houses on the mainland or west shore or 

 on Merritt's Island. 



Success of white fish propagation — Meeting of Fish Commis- 

 sioners at Milwaukee, October 17 and 18. — Under date of Nbrth- 

 ville, Mich., November 11, 1S84, Mr. F. X. Clark, has reported: 



" There was a good attendance Of commissioners, also of the leading 

 fishermen. Many subjects of interest were discussed, though the pro- 

 ceedings were mostly informal. 



"Although there was no formal expression relative to the woik of the 

 various commissioners, the feeling was most friendly to all and to their 

 work. It was freely asserted on all hands that results were already ap- 

 parent. There was no question as to the value of propagation ; but in 

 order to obtain the best results and to have the work receive the full 

 credit to which it is justly entitled, it was necessary to adopt measures 

 to prevent the wholesale capture of yearling whitefish now accredited 

 to the herring catch. 



"The time was when a majority of the men representing the capital 

 employed in the fishing industry of the Great Lakes had little faith in 

 propagation as a means of increasing or preventing a decrease in the 

 supply ; but these men are now our strongest friends. The catch of 

 whitefish in Lake Erie last fall brought over those not already converted. 

 Up to the time of the great storm of November 10 to 15, last year, the 

 catch in that lake was greater than for several years, and this year prom- 

 ises to be even better ; this is especially gratifying, as the result of our 

 larger plantings could not fairly be called due until last year. Prior to 

 four or five years ago the number of young whitefish planted in this 

 lake did not equal the number of adult fish taken out. This is all in 

 the face of excessive fishing all over the lake, but particularly at the 

 west end. All around the islands, and from Sandusky around to the 

 Detroit River and Canadian shore eastward, the catch had been already 

 growing lighter, as the coast was literally lined with twine. 



"Resolutions were passed instructing the commissioners to urge upon 

 the legislatures of the Lake States the enactment of statutes regulating 

 the size of mesh, so as to catch mature fish only, and the adoption of a 

 dose season for certain kinds of fish. All in all, the meeting was inter- 

 esting and profitable, and will, I believe, result in a definite line of ac- 

 tion being taken to adjust and regulate the fishing industry of the 

 Great Lakes. 



" Speaking for the people of the Northwest I can say that there is 

 now but little opposition to our work on account of a belief that fish- 

 culture, as applied to increasing the food supply of the Great Lakes, is 

 a failure. Of course there is some antagonism to the work ; not, how- 



