American Fisheries Society. S3 



withoTtt suggesting a remedy, is hardly the province of the rea- 

 sonable man, and while I have only a tentative plan, certainly 

 not a scientific one. Still it is comprehensive enough to possibly 

 determine the value of planting the whitefish in a large body of 

 water. Lake Ontario was once bountifully supplied with this 

 fish. Today — if mv information is correct — it has but very few. 

 Xow if all who have an interest in the successful propagation of 

 this fish could pool their interest, and first make an exhaustive 

 examination of this lake to ascertain the exact conditions now 

 existing, as to its aquatic life. Then all the states interested to- 

 gether with Canada and the general government hatch as many 

 millions of whitefish as possil)le, for say three years, planting 

 them all in Lake Ontario. Then if possible prohibit all connner- 

 cial fishing for five years it seems to me that it would settle the 

 question for this lake at least, and indirectly for all the others, 

 and possibly demonstrate whether man could be a controlling fac- 

 tor in the larger schemes of constructive aquatic life. 



There is another phase of aquatic life to which but little 

 attention, so far as I am aware — has been paid, and that is the 

 plant life of all the waters, of the sea, no less than that of our 

 lakes and streams. As on the land, all animal life is dependent 

 on the vegetation, so in the waters, there could be no organized 

 aquatic life without the primary existence of aquatic plants. In 

 this field, man has indeed been a controlling factor, and may 

 find, possibly, that in the future his best constructive work may 

 be in the study of the growth and conservation of the plant life 

 of the waters. Many times have I known the aquatic life in our 

 inland lakes nearly obliterated by the deepening of the outlet of 

 a lake, in order to reclaim some bordering marsh. If when you 

 are on a lake or stream, you will pull up any of the water plants, 

 during their active summer's growth, you will find them covered 

 with larval or crustacean life. On this small fish feed, and ten 

 large ones on the smaller. And thus the balance of life is com- 

 plete. Interrupt this in any manner and you have destroyed the 

 delicate poise of the balance. By lowering the water line, the 

 plants will wither and dry up, and with them the life that de- 

 pended upon them for their sustenance and growth. Then the 

 swarms of minnows deprived of their friendly shelter and food, 

 either starve or ])ecome an easy prey to their predacious neigh- 



