51 



The remedies are :. 



1st. Artificial propagation to supply tlie excesive drain 

 caused by increased population, and improved means of cap- 

 ture. 



2nd. By prohibiting all fishing with nets, seines or fixed 

 apparatus for thirty-six hours in each week, during the mi- 

 grations of anadromus fishes, so as to give a sufficient num- 

 ber of breeding fish an opportunity of reaching their spawn- 

 ing grounds, (this is universally believed to be the most im- 

 portant step towards the preservation of our best food fishes.) 



3rd. By protecting the fish on their spawning beds; that 

 is, by prohibiting their capture as their spawning seasons 

 approach (the habits of each species must determine the pe- 

 riod during which it should be protected.) 



4th. By the apjjaratus of fish culture to ])rotect the eggs 

 and young fish from the causes of loss. 



5th. By regulating the size of the meshes of nets and 

 seines, and by prohibiting the erection or use of ''fish-traps" 

 or "fish-baskets," (we cannot too strongly urge the entire 

 abolition of "fish-traps.") 



We would recommend that a small tax be levied on seineg, 

 uet« and fixed apparatus used to caj)ture fish, and that the 

 tax be in proportion to their capacity of destroying fish. — 

 Those from whom this tax will be collected, will be the most 

 immediately effected by the results of artificial propagation, 

 and sbould be ready to furnish some of the means to carry on 

 the hatcliing operations. 



We would recommend, in order to induce the construction 

 of "ponds," sucli as here-in-before described, that all seines 

 landed in such "ponds," be exempt from taxation for a cer- 

 tain period. 



We w^ould also recommend, in order to better regulate the 

 fishing, that all nets, seines and fixed apparatuses, be li- 

 censed, and that "Fish. Wardens" be provided, whose duties 

 will be to see the laws enforced in the river districts, and 

 that provisions be made to ensure the observance of the laws 

 in the bay and navigable rivers. 



Several instances have been reported to us, of parties com- 

 ing into our waters from other States, hauling large seines 

 and taking off large quantities of fish, in some instances 



