114 Thirtieth Annual Meeting 



DISCUSSION ON CARP. 



LED BY DR. S. P. BAIJTLETT. 



Dr. Bartlett: From a practical standpoint I want to say to 

 you that the United States Fish Commission builded a great 

 deal wiser than it knew when it introduced carp in the waters of 

 Illinois. I am here as representative of the United States Fish 

 Commission, and I want to say to you that the waters of Illinois 

 have proven more acceptable to carp than many of the other 

 waters. I want to speak of that of wliich I know. The work of 

 the Fish Commission depends entirely of course upon the money 

 they have to run their business. It is getting to be practically a 

 matter of dollars and cents, this Fish Commission business, and 

 ought to l)e in the various states, but that is particularly true in 

 Illinois. There is, perhaps, no one here that has been a stronger 

 advocate in years gone by of protection than myself. I early 

 made ujt my mind that any law tlie enforcement of which 

 would kill a fisherman was next to gospel. I have changed my 

 mind as to that cousideral)ly and believe now in propagation 

 rather than protection. The last legislature of Illinois enacted 

 laws which prohibit the taking of black bass, wall-eyed pike, etc., 

 except with hook and line during the whole season. The carp on 

 the other hand have been subject to a little more of the open sea- 

 son and are jaennitted to be caught more months in the year. I 

 want to say to you briefly, however, and without giving you any 

 reasons for it, because you all know wliat my reasons are. that the 

 carp have produced in the State of Illinois more money than all 

 other fish put together. That seems like a pretty hard statement 

 to make, but it can be verified, and T want to say to you that there 

 are more carp eaten on the hotel tables in the State of Illinois 

 than any other fish. I have been served with "red snapper" 

 which turned out to l^e carp. This cry against the carp is a great 

 big humbug — it is an outrage — they are a good fish if you know 

 how to cook them, but not so good if you don't know how. Most 

 of you are men of leisure and like your black bass and whitefish, 

 l)u( what al)()ut the oiu' dollar and ten ctMit a dav man? He has 



