98 American Fisheries Society 



in Lake Winnipeg, such close season to continue until evi- 

 dence forthcomes that the fishing resources of waters named 

 had reached their former plentitude — a gradual increase in 

 size of mesh of nets to be used and that, in view of the fact, 

 brought to the attention of the Commission that, during 

 the winter of 1911, several carloads of whitefish, caught in 

 the waters at the north end of Lake Manitoba, were found 

 by the buyers after purchase to be fish of such small average 

 size that it was necessary to hold them back until catches 

 of larger sized fish could be secured to mix with them before 

 exporting the whole. In this way alone was it possible to 

 raise the average of the shipment to a marketable size. 

 Continuing, this report states that they are aware of the 

 fact that a large quantity of whitefish, under the legal size 

 of two pounds in the round, the results of the previous 

 years 1909-10, are still held in storage in Winnipeg. Now, 

 in view of these facts, the Commission concludes as fol- 

 lows : "We are convinced that it will be absolutely necessary 

 to require the use of nets of not less than five and a quarter 

 inch extension measure, if such a destruction of small white- 

 fish as that we refer to is found to continue." There can 

 be for us but one logical conclusion regarding the above 

 facts, viz. : That any state that permits the sale of these im- 

 mature fish becomes the dumping ground of the illegally 

 taken fish of our neighbors, and, if from Canada, you may 

 rest assured of their treating in like manner all illegal and 

 immature fish from your own state. When, "under present 

 conditions Canadians, when buying fish, actually pay a profit 

 to four different persons, viz.: First, the fisherman; second, 

 the wholesale fish dealer; third, the jobber or middleman; 

 fourth, the retail fish dealer," is it to be wondered at that 

 this Conservation Commission of Canada, after investiga- 

 tion, declare new regulations desirable and propose a list of 

 recommendations drastic in character that will save to Can- 

 ada her great fishery interests? If these two methods of 

 determining the size of mature fish for purposes of legisla- 

 tion are to be used, it becomes necessary that there be estab- 



