American Fislienes Society 59 



the resolution would be satisfactory to the resolutions committee. 

 Mr. President, with your permission, I wish to read the result 

 of Dr. Birge's and my efforts in the production of a resolution 

 that should suit the resolutions committee, which is as follows : 



Whereas, One of the chief objects of the American Fisheries 

 Society is the treatment of all questions regarding fish of a scientific 

 and economic character, and 



Whereas, The members of the American Fisheries Society now 

 assembled in the city of Washington, D. C, in view of the efforts 

 being put forth by state, national and dominion departments of fish- 

 eries in the artificial propagation and planting of various kinds of 

 fresh water fishes, and maintaining the same for the public good, 

 are of the opinion that the various states and provinces should sup- 

 plement this great work by giving additional protection to all such 

 fish during the spawning season. Therefore 



Resolved, That we urge the various states and provinces of 

 North American to enact such legislation as shall prevent the cap- 

 ture or disturbance of fresh water fish while on the spawning beds 

 for the purposes of reproduction, such legislation in no way pre- 

 venting the taking of fish or spawn under the supervision of state, 

 national or dominion authority. Further 



Resolved, That copies of this resolution be furnished the Fish- 

 eries Departments of the various states of the American Union and 

 provinces of the Dominion of Canada. 



^h\ President, I understand that the serious objection to my 

 resolution is because it does not allow a given state having forty- 

 five miles of shore line on a lake 414 miles long, the right to take 

 fish from the spawning grounds during the proposed close season. 



I stand here, gentlemen, in favor of protection of every val- 

 uable fresh water fish that swims, from the time it reaches the 

 spawning bed for the purposes of reproduction until it has per- 

 formed its function and retired decently and in order. 



Furthermore, gentlemen, the best years of my life have been 

 spent in seeking to formulate fishery regulations between the 

 Dominion of Canada and the United States, so that there should 

 be a maximum amount of protection to the food fish for the com- 

 mon people of both countries. I stand on that platform tonight, 

 and if I go down to the disgrace of the American Fisheries 

 Society. 



A year or two ago the secretary of the New York Fish and 

 Game Commission, with which your honored president is identi- 

 fied, asked me to take up the subject of the protection of the 



