154 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



Mr. Cheney, on taking the chair, made the following address: 



Gentlenien of the Congress: I thank yon for the honor you have paid me by my selection to 

 pr->iil- OVIT your <lelil> i:iti<>n^. I am often asked the question, How many lish arrive at tin- a^r that 

 we call adult fish! That is a ditlirult <inestion to answer; but there is this known: That daring a 

 drought iu the rivers of Canada, salmon rivers especially, the hatchery men of the State of New York 

 went to the hrad of one river and secured some salmon eggs. They found that only '2 JUT < nt of the 

 eggs WT- impregnated. If that, or anything near it, holds true of the salmon family, probably less 

 than 1 per rent is hatched. In all artificial propagation of the salmon family about 95 per cent of all 

 good -g^H arc hatched. That is a long step forward in iish propagation. We also rear a large 



it.i-r i.f other fish. 



Hut tlu-n- is still another step, and, as I believe, a most important one, that now deserves attention. 

 Fish-breeders have very little to do with the enacting of laws to protect fish; but it is incumbent upon 

 them to discover some means to fci-d the iish that are planted in the waters in such large numbers. 

 Tin- State of New York alone last year hatched and planted of various kinds of iish 216,000,000, and 

 the United States Fish Commis-sion, for the year ending June 30, 1897, hatched and planted 586,000,000 

 fish of various kimN and ages. 



Of the value of artificial tish propagation I will only refer you to one item. About 1880 the 

 shad resorts of the Atlantic coast were in a deplorable condition. The shad had fallen oil', and some- 

 thing had t<> l.e done to restock them, and they were restocked by artificial processes. At that time 

 the ratch was r-.UL'.DOO shad. In 1896 the catch was 13,000,000 shad, an increase of 7,900,000 fish, or 

 an increase in the value of the shad product of $1,580,000, on the basis of 20 cents each to the con- 

 sumer. That will show the benefit derived from artificial fish propagation. 



Pursuant to the recommendations of the committee, the chair announced the 

 following as vice-presidents: Hon. Thomas H. Watts, of Alabama; Hon. Eugene G. 

 I'.lackford, of New York; Hon. George F. Peabody, of Wisconsin; Hon. P. J. Berckmans, 

 of Georgia: Hon. D. I*. Corwin, of Pennsylvania. 



The Congress then took a recess until 3 p. m. 



Tin- ( '(ingress reassembled at 3.30 p. m. 



The committee on resolutions, as selected by the respective States, was announced 

 as follows: Alabama. \V. K. I'el/er; Florida, John G. Kuge; Georgia, T. B. Felder; 

 Illinois s. I . Meek: Iowa, A. Holland; Kansas, Albert Finger; Kentucky, Jule 

 Plummcr: Louisiana, \V. Kdgar Taylor; Maine, Henry O. Stanley; Massachusetts, 

 Michigan. Col. Hiram F. Hale; Minnesota, Frank Bruen ; Missouri,.!. A. 

 Sherman; KfowJei :;;<, L. Smith; New York, Edward Thompson; North Caro- 



lina, \\. K. Capri. art: IVnnsyh ania, \V. H. Median; Klioae Island, <). W. Willard ; 

 Tenin --. A..I. Mrlntosh; Vermont..!. \V. Titcomb; Wisconsin, Culvert Spensley. 



Tin- residing of papers was then taken up, and Mr. W. K. Median was called on 

 fe> present his paper On " The relations between the State Iish commissions and the 

 commercial fishermen." The paper was discussed by Messrs. I'.lackford, of New 

 York; <Yrwin. ,,f I Vnnsylvania : iVabody, of Wisconsin; Spensley, of Wisconsin; 

 Cheney, nf NYw York, and Median. 



Tin- paper of I'rof. Jacob KYi-hard on ''Methods of estimating plankton and 

 their value f<>r practical purpose i ead by the secretary. 



Prof. w. Rdgar Taylor then read his paper on "Tbe establishment of a marine. 



biological station on the (iulf of Mexico/' 



The paper of Mr. K. M. Munroe. on -The green turtle and the possibilities of its 

 protection and consequent increase on the Florida <<>a>t." was read by the secretary. 



The Congress then adjoin ned to meet at 9.:>o a. m. January 21. 



