20 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



INVESTIGATION OF FISHERIES IN WATERS CONTIGUOUS TO 

 CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. 



By an oxcliange of notes between the Government of Great Britain 

 and that of the United States, an agreement was reached on December 

 6, 1892, which provided for the appointment of a joint commission of 

 two ex])erts, one on belialf of each government, to consider and report 

 to their respective governments, jointly or severally, concerning the 

 regulations, practices, and restrictions proper to be adopted in concert, 

 on the following subjects: 



1. The liinitutiou or pieveutiou of exhaustive or destructive methods of taking 

 fish aud shelllish in the territorial aud coatiguous waters of the United States and 

 Her Majesty's possessions in North America, respectively, and also in the waters of the 

 open seas outside of the territorial limits of either country to which the inhabitants 

 of the respective countries may habitually resort for the pui-pose of such fishing. 



2. The jirevcntion of the polluting or obstructing of such contiguous waters to 

 the detriment of the fisheries or of navigation. 



3. The close seasons to be enforced and observed in such contiguous waters by the 

 inhabitants of both countries, as respects the taking ol the several kinds offish and 

 shellfish. 



4. The adoption of practical methods of restocking and replenishing such con- 

 tiguous and territorial waters with fish and shellfish, aud the means by which such 

 fish life may be therein preserved and iu creased. 



It was furthermore provided that — 



The commissioners to be so appointed shall meet at the city of Washington 

 within three mouths from the date of this present agreement, aud shall complete 

 their investigation and submit their final reports thereof to the two governments, 

 as herein provided, within two years from the date of their first meeting. 



The contracting governments agree to place at the service of the said commission- 

 ers all information and material pertinent to the subject of their investigation which 

 may be of record respectively in the offices of the United States Commission of Fish 

 and Fisheries and iu the Department of Marine and Fisheries of the Dominion of 

 Canada; and, further, to place at the disposal of said commissioners, acting jointly, 

 any vessel or vessels of either of the said fish commissions of the United States and 

 Canada as may be convenient aud proper to aid in the prosecution of their investi- 

 gation in the contiguous and adjacent waters aforesaid. * * * 



The two governments agree that so soon as the reports of the commissioners shall 

 be laid before them as aforesaid, they shall consider the same and exchange views 

 thereon, to the end of reaching, if expedient and ^jracticable, such conventional or 

 other understanding as may suffice to carry out the recommendations of the commis- 

 sioners, by treaty, or concurrent legislation on the part of the respective govern- 

 ments, or the legislation of th(^ several States and Provinces, or both, as may be found 

 most advisable; but nothing herein contained shall be deemed to commit cither 

 government to tlie results of the investigation hei'eby instituted. 



The two representatives appointed in accordance with the foregoing 

 agreement were, on the part of Great Britain, Dr. William Wakeham, 

 of the Department of Marino and Fisheries of Canada, and, on the part 

 of the United States, Mr. Richard Rathbuu, of the United States Fish 

 Commission. Their first meeting was held at Washington, on March 

 2, 1893, at which Dr. Wakeham was accompanied by Mr. II. Venning, 

 of the same department as himself, Dr. Hugh M. Smith, of the United 

 States Fish Commission, acting with Mr. Kathbun. At this conference, 



