116 American Fisheries Society 



do not realize the importance of the interests which they 

 have at stake. 



Public opinion is essential to obtain increased appropria- 

 tions for the protection, propagation, and distribution of 

 food and game fish, and to secure the enactment of legis- 

 lation for the preservation of our lakes, rivers and streams. 

 To secure this great force publicity campaigns are a neces- 

 sity. Such campaigns may be conducted in many ways. 



A publicity page can be prepared, and offered gratis, to 

 the leading county papers of the country, in the form of 

 plate matter. In this manner a large circulation is secured 

 at a small cost. 



Through the medium of specially prepared papers and 

 addresses the most forceful and interesting facts and figures 

 may be put before the people. 



Fish commissions in every state should issue bulletins to 

 the newspaper press of their respective states. This form 

 of publicity has been adopted by many departments of state 

 and federal governments with gratifying results. 



In Illinois we have the "Fish Conservation News-Letter," 

 which publishes many of the papers and addresses from the 

 Transactions of this Society (The American Fisheries So- 

 ciety). Copies are sent to each legislator, to every person 

 interested in recreative or commercial fishing, whose name 

 and address can be secured, as well as to each candidate for 

 state senator and representative, and to a large number of 

 editors of weekly newspapers, many of whom have repub- 

 lished some of its articles. We also have the "Illinois Fish- 

 erman," a monthly journal devoted to inland fisheries, com- 

 mercial and recreative, and we have reason to believe these 

 will assist materially in securing the enactment of desirable 

 amendments to our present law, and in increasing our ap- 

 propriations. 



If every member here would occasionally prepare a short 

 article on the subject he is particularly interested in. and 

 have it published in their local newspaper, it would aid con- 

 siderably in creating favorable public opinion. We have 



