CONCLUSION. 



In concluding this necessarily brief sketch of the present 

 and potential value of our fisheries, I cannot refrain from 

 drawing attention to a matter which, though I have previously 

 spoken on it (in another place), I feel sure will bear reiteration. 

 I am confident that I will have your sympathy when I refer 

 to the great and pressing need in Australia for more science 

 and more education in our national life. In all departments 

 of the national concern is this necessity apparent, and this 

 may surely be said without in any way disparaging our 

 present efforts, or whatever has been done in the past. In 

 no branch is its necessity more evident than in dealing with 

 our fisheries matters, in which there lie enormous untrodden 

 fields of research. There is, indeed, so close a relationship 

 between scientific investigation and our fisheries, that I feel 

 justified in claiming that it is really the ABC of it all. This 

 need for constant and close inquiry extends to all branches 

 of our fisheries, its application to our oyster fisheries, for 

 instance, being of very special importance. Upon a proper 

 system of investigation depends very largely indeed the 

 future development of our fisheries, and, at the same time, 

 the fund of information to be so gained will form a strong 

 and sound basis for any future regulations having for their 

 object the effective protection and control of our fisheries. 



I am thinking of the words of Professor H. E. Armstrong 

 (quoted by Mr. A. H. S. Lucas in his admirable Presidential 

 Address to the Linnean Society, in March, 1908), when I 

 say that each Department of Government (or at least those 

 connected with our industries) should be " not merely an 

 office," but " also a busy hive of research." 



On page 17 of my " Edible Fishes of New South Wales," 

 I drew attention to " the great and widespread movement 

 towards the elucidation of fisheries problems which has 

 begun to manifest itself during the last few years in the 

 various States of Australia, led by New South Wales." I 

 also mentioned the investigation ship which was then under 



