Wilson. — The White fish 95 



and a half pounds is a correct one. This same weight 

 is the law for the State of Minnesota. Another very 

 serious objection to the 12-inch provision is that furnished 

 by a prominent member of the Society, viz. : that "as a 

 commercial commodity such fish has not reached 50' , 

 of its potential value, and the taking of such fish must be 

 a financial injury to the commercial fishermen. Further- 

 more, it is idle to presume that, under this system, no white- 

 fish will be sold which, at the time of capture, was not of 

 required length, said fish having undergone the inevitable 

 change incident to transfer to market and cold storage oper- 

 ations. How, may I ask, will the sale of whitefish as her- 

 ring (a less valuable product of the Great Lakes), under a 

 12-inch law, be prevented? Already this phase of commer- 

 cial dealing has been a source of trouble in some states, it 

 being almost impossible for the average man to distinguish 

 between the two fish. 



Under present conditions it is practically impossible for 

 any state having a large population to furnish from the in- 

 side all food fish demanded by the people; and it should be 

 easy to conclude that wisdom would dictate the necessity 

 of not only protecting and conserving its own meagre supply, 

 but throw around the incoming supply of fish the same pro- 

 tection accorded by the state or province from which they 

 come that we with them may give stability to their own 

 regulations and so continue their supply as well as our own. 



The State of Pennsylvania does not in any way do this. 

 and, of course, in New York, this is not what is being done 

 under the 12-inch law. And when we remember that about 

 one-tenth of the population of the United States are in New 

 York, and that 90% of her supply of fish must come from 

 the outside, do you wonder that we are disturbed with 

 thoughts for the poor and those who for conscience's sake 

 must purchase fish for food, and so come to you for assist- 

 ance. 



It has been stated that this 12-inch law on whitefish in 

 New York is a license to exterminate. — Let me add, not 



