FIFTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING. 41 



we have lacked proper municipal regulation of the fishing in- 

 dustry. 



It is not enough that the State Commissioners should be able, 

 at very moderate cost, to hatch and release in the lakes enough 

 young fish to take the place of the adults captured and marketed. 

 The young fish so hatched and released in the waters must be 

 protected until they come to maturity and are marketable ; other- 

 wise the wasteful fishing, which has once depleted the waters 

 stocked by nature, will do the same thing, only more surely and 

 speedily for the waters replenished artificially. 



So the two things must go together. Artificial propagation 

 cannot do it alone; municipal regulation cannot do it alone, 

 within a period that will avail anything for one generation, 

 possibly not even then. The two things are mtiiually depend- 

 ent conditions, they must concur to assure valuable or lasting 

 success. In the combinations of these two conditions we have 

 the complete definition of the practical art of fish- cultui-e. 



There is not time here to go minutely into the facts or the 

 arguments which logically How from them to support the necess- 

 ity for proper inspection or regulation. 



I can only point out generally that municipal regulation, to 

 be of value in saving or extending the operations of the indus- 

 trial fisheries of the great lakes, must cover these points, namely: 



{a) The sizes of the meshes of the nets to prevent the destruc- 

 tion of immature fish. 



{b) Market restrictions as to the size at which various kinds 

 of fish may be handled or sold. 



{c) Prohibition of inshore fishing during the season or at the 

 points where the young fish are running in to feed. 



{d) Discretionary authority to allow the use of nets below 

 standard size at certain times, in certain localities, for certain 

 kinds of fish. 



(<?) The demarcation of spawning grounds and their absolute 

 rest from fishing at the spawning season ; or, if that is imprac- 

 ticable, a "close season" at spawning time. 



(/) Inspectors and wardens of the fisheries with ample means 

 and powers to enforce all regulations, whether of apparatus, 

 fishing operations, packing or marketing. 



