97 



interested arrive at some suitable inter-state legislation, 

 that will produce lasting benefit to all concerned. 



We would refer in this connection to the acknowl- 

 edged benefit accruing from the fish hatcheries that 

 have deposited several varieties of young fish in the 

 upper streams of many of our important rivers. If 

 artificially hatched fry produce such commendable re- 

 sults, is it not easy to understand how protection of the 

 breeding fishes and their young must necessarilj^ 

 amount to still greater good, because of the very much 

 larger number that would be produced through the 

 natural course of fish spawning, increased production 

 meaning increased revenue ? 



We must consider that it is the bounden duty of 

 the states to provide in every possible honorable man- 

 ner for the increase of every industry within the limits 

 of their jurisdiction, and that the supplying of food fish 

 is and always has been a very prominent industry in 

 our coast and lake bordering states particularly. We 

 have had it demonstrated to our perfect conviction that 

 indiscriminate fishing with the numerous devices of 

 modern invention has very nearly ruined the food fish- 

 ing interests in certain waters, and that whole towns 

 and bays have been nearly impoverished by the lack of 

 supply for home consumption, as well as for trade. 



We have also had very satisfactory demonstration 

 of the astonishing benefit already derived by the pro- 

 tective systems recently adopted by several states, espe- 

 cially in reference to the Delaware River. Therefore, 

 we cannot but express the firm conviction that the 

 governments of the respective states should act in such 

 a manner as to make mutual state laws to suit the 

 various localities, not taking the laws of Pennsylvania, 

 New York, and New Jersey as the text, but let the leg- 

 islation for each part of the country be consistent with 

 ihe requisites of each. New York and Pennsylvania 

 may well be satisfied with the outcome of their legis- 



