246 



Mr. Stewart: What do you think, Mr. Post, about the close season for white- 

 fish ? 



Mr. Post: I am hardly prepared to say about that. Of course a considerable 

 part of the catch of whitefish is taken in and near the spawning season. I don't 

 know what the results have been in the Provinces where they have had a close 

 season ; I do know this, that on Lake Superior, at least, while they have a law 

 prohibitin;^ fishing after a certain time, it doesn't amount to a great deal. I know 

 that from practical experience. I know that probably if it was done in a quiet 

 way, we would have no difficulty in going over to the Canadian side and getting 

 fish eggs of the catch that had actually been made there. We would have to do 

 it in a quiet way, because, if much trouble was made about it the laws might be 

 enforced. I believe the Canadian laws are better enforced than the laws of the 

 States, certainly better than those of the State of Michigan. 



Chairman : There has been something said by the gentleman from Ontaria 

 and the gentlemen from Michigan, in regard to the inadequacy of protection in 

 those countries. The laws may be sufficient but the means of enforcing them da 

 not exist. Of course it is useless to have laws without having ample means of 

 enforcing them. 



Mr. Stewart : I forgot to say when I was speaking about pound nets, that 

 we are unanimously of the opinion that no person should be allowed to use gill 

 nets without the sanction of the Commissioners. 



Secretary : Mr Chairman, here is something that I overlooked which ought 

 to have been noticed before: This is a letter from Mr. A. G. Yates, President of tae 

 Buffalo, Rochester, and Pittsburof Road to Hon. Georo;e F. Danforth. 



Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburgh Railway Co., 



Rochester, N. Y., Nov. 9th, 1891. 

 Hon. GeorCxE F. Danforth, 



President Clteaper Fish Food Association : 



Dear Sep., — should you and your guests desire to visit the State Hatchery 

 at Caledonia, it will give me pleasure to turnish a special train. 



Yours truly 



A. G. Yates, President. 



I will also state that one of the members of our association, Mr. D. W Pow- 

 ers, w^ished me to say to the visitors here that his picture gallery is open to 

 them, and he would like to have them visit it. 



PuESiDENT: The thanks of this committee will be tendered to the gentlemen. 



Senator McXaughton moved that both of those invitations be accepted, and 

 the time be fixed upon to visit the hatcheries at Caledonia. Carried. 



Secretary : Mr. Chairman : There are two more gentlemen here from whom 

 I would like to hear, Mr. Ford, of the Pennsylvania Fish Commission, and Dr. 

 Smith, who represents the United States Commission. 



Mr. Ford : Gentlemen : As Pennsylvania has but a very limited area on the 

 lakes, (I believe only twenty-eight miles on Lake Erie), the questions of the Com- 

 mission she has very little to say about. We have established a hatchery in 



