REPORT OF THE OOMMTSSIOXER OF FIHUEKIES Ilf 



need for develoi)ino- a more eoiiipreliensive policy and an inci-casiii^- 

 diseontent Avith the prooress that is being- made. It is important tliat 

 Federal and State anthorities cooperating with private agencies 

 develop a national fisheries program that will coordinate and de- 

 velop a plan of action commensurate with the needs of to-day. 

 You have recently directed attention to the fact that the Constitution 

 of the United States piovides for interstate cooperation through 

 the rights of the States to make ti'eaties between themselves, \vl\ich 

 become statutory law. I am convinced that the solution of some of 

 our most difticidt ]U'ol)k'ms may l)e found in this manner if the States 

 will earnestly atteuipt such a ])rocedure. 



The growing interest of our people in these problems of the fish- 

 eries is reflected in the increasing attention given to them by Con- 

 gress. During the last session of Congress four major measures Avere 

 enacted into law. In each case these had the support of the De- 

 ))artmeut of Commerce. The first of these — the new Alaska iish- 

 eries law — is a xevy important conservation measure, necessary to 

 the rehal)ilitation of the salmon hshei-y of the Territory. The Xoitli 

 Pacitic halibut treaty Avas ratified and the necessary legislation to 

 make it effective passed. An oil-pollution bill was passed to pre- 

 vent the dumping of oil in navigable waters of the ITnited States 

 by oil-burning or oil-carrying vessels in quantities deleterious to 

 health or sea food or a menace to navigation, under regulations as 

 may be prescri])ed by the Seci-etary of War. The Secretary of War 

 is also authorized and directed to nudvC such investigations as nuiy 

 be necessary to ascertain Avhat jiolluting substances are being de- 

 posited in navigable or nonnavigable Avaters connected thereAvith. 

 The foui'th measure passed by Congress is the act establishing the 

 u})per Mississippi River Avild-life and fish refuge, Avhich Avill pre- 

 serA^e some of the finest fish nurseries in inland Avaters. 



INQUIRY RESPECTING FOOD FISHES 

 IXTKOniCTIOX 



The growth of our population and improAcments in methotls of 

 ])reserving. transporting, and marketing fishery ])roducts have dui-- 

 ing the past feAv years greatly increased the demand for such j)i'od- 

 ucts. To suppl.y this demand improvements haA-e been made in the 

 methods used for capturing fish, and the fisheries have increased 

 both in extent and intensity. An increased strain has thus been 

 placed on the' resources. At the same time our rapid industrial de- 

 vel()]>m(Mit and the increased use of oil-])urning A'essels are rapidly 

 jjolluting many inland and coastal Avaters, making theui uutit to 

 su])port life and thus cutting doAvn the availal)le sui)ply of fish and 

 other a<juatic forms, ujxm the abundance of Avhich the maintenance 

 of our lisheries depends. Again, the erection of dams and other 

 obstructions in many of our streams prevents access of fish to their 

 spawning grounds, and thus cuts off the supply at its source. "With 

 this increased demand for fishery products, accompanied as it is 

 by a decreasing supply, many new and com])lex problems are pre- 

 sented to those who are concerned Avith the conservation of our 

 fishery resources. Declining fishei'ies are fiequently overexploited 

 to supply the increasing denunul. and the problems of restoration or. 



