94 REPORTS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE. 
A bill to ratify the agreement or compact between the States of 
Washington and Oregon regarding concurrent jurisdiction over the 
Columbia River in connection with the fisheries passed the House of 
Representatives in March, the Senate in April, and became a law on 
April 8, 1918. The passage of this bill was advocated by the Bureau 
because of the stability it gives to laws for the protection of the 
salmon in the Columbia River. 
AMERICAN-CANADIAN FISHERIES CONFERENCE. 
The Commissioner was associated with the Secretary and the As- 
sistant Secretary of Commerce as a member of the American-Cana- 
dian Fisheries Conference, appointed to consider outstanding fishery 
questions between the United States and Canada. Following meet- 
ings in Washington, D. C., in January, 1918, the conference held pub- 
lic hearings in Boston and Gloucester, Mass., St. John, New Bruns- 
wick, Seattle, Wash., Ketchikan, Alaska, and Vancouver and New 
Westminster, British Columbia. At a meeting of the conference in 
Ottawa in May, adjournment was taken until September, in order 
that the testimony and exhibits might be fully considered before the 
preparation of a final report with findings and recommendations. 
The subjects that came before the conference were: 
1. Privileges to the fishing vessels of either country in the ports of 
the other. 
2. Rehabilitation and protection of the sockeye salmon of the 
Fraser River system. 
3. Protection of the Pacific halibut fishery. 
4. Fishing by United States lobster well-smacks off Canadian coast. 
5. Protection of the fisheries of Lake Champlain. 
6. Requirements imposed on Canadian fishing vessels passing 
through territorial waters of Alaska. 
7. Protection of the sturgeon fisheries. 
8. International protection of whales. 
As an emergency war measure, in order that no restrictions may be 
placed on the production of food, the two Governments have reached 
an agreement under which the fishing vessels of either country are 
accorded in the ports of the other all the privileges enjoyed by domes- 
tic vessels. A bill has been drawn and introduced in Congress hav- 
ing for its object the suppression of the United States traffic in 
lobsters caught off the Canadian coast when there is a close time 
for lobsters on that coast. The Canadian Government has taken 
the necessary action to give to the fish in the Canadian waters of 
Lake Champlain the same protection that is accorded in New York 
and Vermont. The former discriminatory practice of requiring Can- 
adian fishing vessels passing through the territorial waters of Alaska 
to enter and clear has been discontinued. The other subjects before 
listed as coming before the conference will require legislation or a 
treaty, or both. 
Respectfully submitted. 
H. M. Soiru, 
Commissioner of Fisheries. 
To Hon. Witi1am C. RepFrep, 
Secretary of Commerce, 
