2 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



The Commission sliall inalce a thorough iiivestisatiou into tlie life-history of 

 the Pacific halihut. and such investigation sliall be undertalven as soon as 

 jiracticahle. The Connnission sliall report the results of its investigation to 

 tlie two Governments and shall make recommendations as to the regulation of 

 the halihut fishery of the North Pacific Ocean, including the Bering Sea, 

 which may seem desirable for its preservation and development. 



The undersigned, having been appointed commissioners under 

 the treaty b}'^ their respective Governments, undertook their duties 

 without delay. At the outset they decided to employ a competent 

 man as director of investigations, in which capacity the services of 

 W. F. Thompson were secured. He not only brought to the work 

 the needed training and ability, but the experience and knowledge 

 that resulted from three seasons' investigations in the Pacific halibut 

 fishery, which he had undertaken some years previously on behalf of 

 the provincial government of British Columbia. A competent staff 

 of young, energetic scientists to assist him was also employed. The 

 coiiimission further arranged for the appointment of an honorary 

 scientific council, with which not only the commission but the direc- 

 tor of investigations could consult, and to which has been submitted 

 the plans of investigations to be undertaken from time to time. 

 This council consists of two representatives from each country. 



Prof. John N. Cobb, dean of the College of Fisheries of the Uni- 

 versity of Washington, Seattle. 



Mr. N. B. Scofield, head of the Department of Commercial Fish- 

 eries of the Fish and Game Commission of California. 



Dr. C. McLean Fraser, professor of zoology in the University of 

 British Columbia and formerly director of the Marine Bio- 

 logical Station at Nanaimo, B. C. 



Dr. W. A. Clemens, present director of the aforesaid station. 



The director and staff have from time to time presented reports on 

 the progress of the investigation and on their findings to the commis- 

 sion and to the scientific council. These findings are used in the 

 formulation of the present recommendations. The scientific results 

 are, however, not inserted in this report but will be published later 

 in more detailed form than is practicable here. 



The task with which the commission found itself to be charged is 

 one of great magnitude and difficulty. The fishery covers a coast line 

 of about 1,800 miles in length. The halibut can only be studied at 

 sea and under difficult conditions. Hence, it has not been possible 

 in the three years during which the commission has been at work to 

 cover the whole field exhaustively. What has been accomplished 

 has, however, been done with care, and the information obtained is 

 sufficient to satisfy the commission as to the necessity of certain main 

 lines of action if the fishery is to be preserved. 



Though the investigation has been highly scientific in character, 

 the commission determined at the outset that it would be carried out 

 along practical lines with close adherence to facts and avoidance of 

 unsupported theory. Its aim has been to establish beyond doubt the 

 actual condition of the fishery at present and the history of its trend 

 to that condition. It has sought to define the remedial measures 

 that should be adopted to save the fishery and to build it up, as well 

 as the conditions that would have to be met in applying such 

 measures. 



