594 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 
5. In those fisheries more directly under the control of man, such as river, 
smaller lake, and mollusk fisheries, the principles of aquiculture and the science 
of water farming must be developed. 
6. These problems are so great, and the need of their early solution so urgent, 
that investigations into other phases of ichthyology, oceanography, limnology, 
physiology, zoogeography, and related branches of aquatic biology should not 
be undertaken independently, but only as they relate to a proper understanding 
of these immediate problems. This is not an attack on “pure science,” but a 
plea for “purer” fishery science. 
The rapid development of natural science in America fills one of the most 
brilliant pages in our history, yet our fisheries have declined, some of them 
have been destroyed perhaps beyond all hope of recovery, and all have failed 
to develop to their fullest state of usefulness. This willful disregard of the 
interest of posterity in the natural wealth entrusted to our keeping is a re- 
proach upon the American system of democratic government and a challenge 
to American brains to devise the means for its protection. We must accept this 
challenge or merit the resentment and blame of the unborn future. 
Mr. Hicerns. It has been suggested that the remainder of the 
afternoon be devoted to free discussion of all of the problems that 
have been raised to-day, and I think it would be proper for us to 
discuss them as a group and then spend the rest of the afternoon in 
informal discussion in smaller groups. 
Mr. Rapcurre. I think we should realize what a resource to this 
country the fisheries represent. A resource producing some 1,400,000 
tons of products used for human food and products used in the arts 
and industries. Both Mr. Thompson and Mr. Higgins have empha- 
sized the fact that we are at the beginning of an era of exploitation. 
I should like to give you some indication as to how far that is going 
on outside of our own borders, as well as within. With the falling off 
of the catch of the North Sea, immediately the European trawlers 
began to fish around Iceland. Now that those waters are showing the 
strain they have turned to Greenland. In 1924, the Norwegian 
Government sent a vessel to Davis Strait to determine something of 
the fisheries resources off Greenland. Last year between 30 and 40 
European vessels went up there for the purpose of exploiting the 
fisheries. The present year, I understand, that activity has been con- 
tinued. 
The whole trend is to build larger vessels—vessels better equipped 
for exploiting fisheries of the whole globe. In our own country we 
have seen the advantages in the improved methods of merchandising 
fish, such as the development of filleting and brine-freezing—matters 
of that kind which are building up the industry. 
One of the most alarming situations, in so far as our fisheries are 
concerned, has to do with the whale fishing. Heretofore it might 
have been possible to have exercised some measure of regulation over 
these fisheries. At the present time they are building vessels capable 
of operating on the high seas, taking the whale aboard the ship, 
manufacturing it into products that have a market value, without 
ever touching at any port, and then steaming to the port offering 
them the best prices for their products. 
Mr. Scofield told you something of what is happening off the coast 
of California, where the concerns are anchoring outside the 3-mile 
limit. A vessel has been constructed recently in France, allegedly 
for the purpose of operating off the coast of Africa. This vessel has 
a refrigeration plant and storage for seven or eight hundred tons of 
frozen fish; eight retorts, part of which are for cooking lobsters and 
