88 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 
do feel that for the future we may expect that, largely through this treaty and through 
the work of this commission, the fisheries of the Great Lakes will be saved to posterity. 
[Applause. | 
Mr. Joun J. PEw (Massachusetts). Mr. President and fellow-delegates, having been 
interested in the fisheries from boyhood and having had many generations of my ances- 
tors engaged in the same business, as a delegate from the largest fishing port in the 
United States I feel compelled to bring before this body the matter of beam trawling. 
It is the question of beam trawling as now pursued. Several trawlers equipped 
with beam trawls have already been operating on the banks off the coast of New England, 
Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland. This method of fishing is looked upon with great 
alarm and anxiety by all the experienced fishermen of New England and Canada. as far 
as I am informed; not, as I believe, on account of any spirit of jealousy or on account 
of any temporary success that any of the beam trawlers may have achieved in the above- 
mentioned waters, but on account of the catching of so many small fish, which after 
being taken are found too small for use and are then thrown back in the sea, thus destroy- 
ing many millions of fish which in a few years if left alone would grow larger and assist 
in keeping up a continual supply of a catchable and profitable fish for commercial use. 
Allow me here to cite an interview with a captain of a Gloucester vessel by a reporter 
of one of our Gloucester papers. Knowing the captain as I do, I can speak for his 
reliability and experience in regard to the deep-sea fisheries. 
Captain Geel says the greatest menace to the fishery on the banks is the fleet of 
steam trawlers which have been sweeping over it this season. No one is more qualified 
to speak than this captain. He says that the damage these crafts are doing may not 
be apparent right away, but if continued will surely play out the banks as places for 
the usual method of fishing. Said he: 
Why, you just imagine it! They sweep over the shoal spots steadily, dragging and hauling and 
setting, dragging, hauling, and setting that great trawl day and night, working two gangs. Now, 
they do not save any fish under 22 inches in length. They dump the contents of the trawl on deck, 
pick out the fish over this length, then open the big ports in the bulwarks and dump all the rest of 
the catch, dead, of course, back into the sea. I do not know what we can do about it; but you take 
my word for it, it means the beginning of the end of our valuable fisheries if something is not done 
soon. 
Also allow me to cite an extract from a Boston paper of September 11 in regard 
to steam trawlers: 
HALIFAX, Nova Scotra, September rr. 
Fishing by means of steam trawlers within the bays and harbors or within the 3-mile limit of 
Canada has been prohibited by an order in council passed by the Canadian government. ‘The fisher- 
men of Nova Scotia made strong protests to the government against the operation of trawlers, one of 
which, the IVren, recently arrived from Scotland and was fishing out of Canso, Nova Scotia, manned 
by a crew of North Sea fishermen. This means of fishing is largely used in the North Sea, and asa 
beginning had been made to introduce it in the waters of Canada the government has taken prompt 
action to stop it. It is so effective that the above order had to be made to prevent the extermination 
or serious diminution of the fish supply. 
In New England there is only one steam trawler engaged in the beam-traw] fishing, 
and I am informed it is the opinion of those interested in this vessel that this method 
is considered destructive to small fish and harmful to the best interests of the New 
England fisheries for the future. 
I do not feel like going into a long argument about this method of fishing, but 
wish to call your attention to this matter and appeal to you whether it is not time for 
you to consider it in all of its bearings and take some action which will result in a speedy 
investigation of the whole matter, that will tend to some regulation or restriction by 
your respective governments, and be the means of saving millions of small fish from 
extermination, the loss of which would diminish the catch in the coming years and 
result in serious losses to all persons engaged in the fisheries. 
