244 American Fisheries Society 



for sockeyes in both state and provincial waters be suspended 

 during the years of 1906 and 1908. It was believed by the Com- 

 missioners that by prohibiting fishing in those years, the runs 

 four years later would be restored to their former propor- 

 tions. Canada accepted the finding of that commission and at 

 once passed an Order in Council prohibiting sockeye fishing 

 in 1906 and 1908, provided the State of Washington passed 

 a similar act prohibiting fishing in her waters. A bill to that 

 effect was rejected by the Washington Legislature in 1906. 

 Consequently Canada recalled her order, and fishing was con- 

 ducted in both those years with renewed vigor and with dis- 

 astrous effect. The catches were smaller and the spawning 

 beds less seeded. 



Following the failure of the State of Washington to adopt 

 the measure Canada turned for help to the Federal Government 

 at Washington, D. C, and secured the appointment in 1907 

 of an international commission to inquire into conditions in 

 the Fraser River system. After a year of investigation that 

 commission unanimously recommended, as necessary to pre- 

 vent further depletion, the adoption of joint and uniform reg- 

 ulations restricting fishing. A treaty embodying its recom- 

 mendations was drawn and signed at Washington in 1908, by 

 Great Britain for Canada, and by the President of the United 

 States. The United States Senate rejected it. Therefore 

 fishing was continued as before and, although the amount of 

 gear was greatly increased, the catches in the small years con- 

 tinued to decrease, and the reports from the spawning beds 

 grew even more alarming. 



The progressive decline in the catch in the small years, and 

 the disastrous effect of the blockade in the Fraser channel at 

 Hell's Gate in 1913, caused Canada to renew her overtures 

 to the United States Government for the adoption of remedial 

 measures. In 1917 Canada and the United States created a 

 joint international fishery commission to deal with the sub- 

 ject, consisting of the Honorable Sir J. D. Hazen, Chief Jus- 

 tice of New Brunswick, G. J. Desbarats, Deputy Minister of 



