American Fisheries Society. 13 



of the nation. We all are growing more and more in recent 

 times to see the possibilities that lie in the intelligent handling 

 and management of the fishing industries of the nation. We, 

 here at Erie, while we have biit a very short lake frontage have 

 come by practical experience to realize and appreciate an intel- 

 ligent management of the fishing industries of the common- 

 wealth, to say nothing about the industries of the nation. A 

 few years ago the fishing industry here was at a very low ebb, 

 and our fishermen could get very few of the food fish for which 

 they searched ; but Commissioner Meehan, backed up by the com- 

 monwealtli, and more or less assisted by the people of the ad- 

 joining states, has attempted to stock the lake, and they have 

 been using intelligent efforts in that direction, and accompany- 

 ing those efforts we see and feel the impulse that it has given 

 to the fishing industry, and our fishermen now come in with 

 good hauls where before the catches were very light. 



This is a subject for thought and for consideration. There- 

 fore, in seeing what has been done here in this very short time, 

 as we look over the waters of the state and nation and as we con- 

 sider the very great and very important food to the people of the 

 nation that is produced by the intelligent handling of the fish- 

 eries and the fishing industries, we increase our appreciation of 

 the importance of an intelligent management and handling of 

 the opportunities at our doors. 



And so we greet you here very gladly. We appreciate the im- 

 portance of your consideration, the great values, — increased 

 values — from this source which have come to mankind from 

 an intelligent consideration of this subject by just such men as 

 you who are giving it thought and consideration, who have ex- 

 perience and opportunities, and therefore can give great impetus 

 and great value to this industry which, in a large measure, has 

 been neglected in years gone by, and to restock our waters, state 

 and nation, and to supply this very important article of food to 

 the people of the nation, is certainly a very important question. 

 It is in its infancy, and this association is happily conceived, 

 happily formed, and we trust that prosperity and gratification 

 will accompany you in your efforts in this line. While we have 

 a limited lake frontage and Philadelphia is our ocean port, of 

 course the shad industries of the Delaware are important to us. 



