THE WHITEFISH PRODUCTION OF THE GREAT LAKES. 639 
hatcheries to care for the ova, and, if the present number is insufficient, let us 
build and equip others; in any event let us not expect nature to make a complete 
revision of her fundamental laws merely to accommodate herself to the lack of 
foresight and the inconsistency of mankind. 
We need no protection for mature fish, except, as above stated, during the 
months when the largest lifts of unripe fish are made. The young fish should 
be protected against the adults. These are the enemies and food competitors 
of the growing generations, and the quantity of food that a dozen adults con- 
sume will suffice for the support of thousands of fry. The question may properly 
be asked, do the fry subsist upon the same individual food that the adults 
require? Strictly speaking, they do not; but the source from which the growing 
generations derive their food supply is at least indirectly dependent upon the 
higher groups which the adults do destroy. 
For these reasons, therefore, I contend that the so-called closed-season 
laws as they now exist are all wrong. Ofcourse, I am not one of those enthusiasts 
who believe that our lakes may be made to teem once again with the countless 
millions of the early days, even with the assistance of the wisest possible legis- 
lation and most successful artificial propagation. The conditions have been 
changed and I know of no way whereby they can be restored. The formerly 
vast and almost unlimited areas of spawning and feeding grounds have been 
gradually destroyed by sawdust, bark, slabs, water-logged timber and other 
refuse, and the water for miles out from shore in the neighborhood of cities and 
towns is constantly being polluted and infected by poisonous sewage and other 
impurities. Because of these unfortunate conditions the present spawning and 
feeding grounds are confined to a few localities. 
REMEDIAL MEASURES. 
But that the whitefish of the Great Lakes can be increased very materially in 
spite of these difficulties which the fish culturist is forced to encounter I am very 
strongly convinced. This can be done only by closely adhering to some such 
plan of action as I shall outline in the remainder of this paper, and which I con- 
tend, and shall endeavor to convince my hearers is the only possible solution 
of the problem. 
(1) INTERNATIONAL PROTECTIVE LEGISLATION. 
First, there must be concerted action, by means of a treaty or otherwise, 
on the part of the United States Government and the Dominion of Canada, 
and such action must be carried on to the point where there shall be one set 
of laws applicable to all the waters of the Great Lakes and their tributaries, 
and enforceable on the part of either government in any part of its own or 
