11* Tivcnty-sivth Annual Meeting 



and where money can be made by catchins^ food fish in .c^reat 

 numbers for the market, to their probable anniliilation in a few 

 years. 



We could hardly expect in the rapidly flowing streams of the 

 mountain regions of the far West to successfully protect a very 

 great variety of the food fish; but even those should be thoroughly 

 protected by adequate statutes by the Legislatures of the States 

 through which these mountain streams run. ]\Iany lakes, how- 

 ever, occur in some of these States, even in the mountain sections. 

 These should be protected, and not only that, but they should be 

 stocked with the best varieties of edible fish, and of the kind that 

 will not destroy their companions. 



This condition of things existing in almost every State of the 

 Union, it will readily be seen how great the need is for uniform 

 laws for food-fish protection throughout the entire country. 



I would here urge that this national society, composed 

 of Fish Commissioners and members from the various States all 

 over the country, consider well this subject of legislative ac- 

 tion to this end. 



The resolution we adopted last year, aiming at the harmoni- 

 ous action of each State with its neighbor in the interests of gen- 

 eral propagation and protection, was in the right direction, and 

 any action from that committee should be supplemented by a 

 general support on the part of the American Fisheries Society. 



I do not mean to exclude the interests of the Great 

 Lakes during the past few years for propagation purposes, 

 and with partially good results; but they can never carry 

 out the full intent of those who have the general good of the 

 conmumity at stake in this matter of supplying a most valuable 

 and delectable form of diet for the towns and cities where a 

 market can be had for this form of food. 



Go )d laws should be enacted all along the Great Lake bor- 

 dering States, and they should lx> thoroughly enforced and a rigid 

 observance of them continually maintained; and under no circum- 

 stances should the small fish be caught before they are of a size 

 to have spawned at least once. 



By this method an amply sufficient supply of growing fish 

 would constantly fill the waters of the Great Lakes along our 

 nordiern border. Canada should unite with the United States 

 at all points to help fill the lakes along her shores, and by this 

 mutual action her revenue from this one source alone would be 

 greatly increased, as well as that of our own States. 



