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received from the States and the United States. Having 

 so attained to the period when it is capable of being made 

 a useful factor in the economy of every civilized State, the 

 persons charged with the public duty of administering its 

 affairs and evoking useful results from its prosecution ought 

 ever to be looking for reasonable artd practical ways to secure 

 it the highest degree of efficiency. The United States Com- 

 mission with a new and broader organic law recently adopted 

 and put in operation, with its departments of work newly 

 recast and systematized, and under most zealous and competent 

 guidance, is prepared now to apply in the solution of some eco- 

 nomic problems, the many lessons of experiment and scientific 

 observation, gathered and stored up in the past. The States 

 which have been dealing practically with the fishery question in 

 the last ten years have made good progress towards reliable and 

 permanent methods offish-culture, and now at length are able 

 to bring forward some definite and tangible proof concerning 

 its results. 



Fish-culture, when appreciated and invoked in both its 

 branches, artificial propagation and legal regulation, has demon- 

 strated its ability to restore exhausted fisheries. Of that there 

 is no need of citing evidence to this audience. The next 

 forward movement toward the realization of the great promises 

 of the practical Art of Fish-culture, in this country is, I believe, 

 to be the working out of a just and comprehensive system of 

 regulation of fishing as an industry, and as a recreation. A 

 notable feature of this movement will be the attainment of more 

 substantial co operation amongst the organized bodies existing 

 for its prosecution under the State and Federal Government. 



I have in mind two principal topics : i. Co-operation 

 between the United States Commission of Fish and Fisheries 

 and the several State Fish Commissions ; and, 2. The limited 

 co-operation possible between the Commissions of neighboring 

 States, or between States having similar fishery interests. I am 

 not unaware of the fact that the United States Fish Commis- 

 sion has heretofore co-operated with the State Commissions. 

 But I wish to call attention to the fact that such co-operation 

 can be carried out on broader lines with advantage to all con- 

 cerned. 



