American Fisheries Socirti/ 73 



acy in oysters in the proper s])irit and has instituted a system of 

 surveys, preliminary to the general allotment of lands for plant- 

 ing purposes, that for comprehensiveness and thoroughness arc 

 marvels and will serve as models for the remainder of the coun- 

 try. It is hoped and helieved that in Maryland and other states 

 an industry meaning so mueli to the citizens thereof and to the 

 country at large will never again have to suffer hecause of party 

 demands, and that hereafter oyster planting will have no greater 

 political significance tlian corn planting or ]iotato planting. 



A movement tliat augurs most im})()rtant l)enefits to our fish 

 life is the national conservation commission, appointed and as- 

 signed a definite task hy the president of the United States. The 

 general and un(|ualified approval of the purposes of this com- 

 mission on tlie pni'l of the state authorities and private citizens 

 as well as IVMU'ral otficials is one of the most encouraging signs 

 of the times: and 1 venture the i^rediction that when this com- 

 mission shall ha\(' made its i-e])()rt and recommendations it will 

 be seen that the relations of our fish life to agriculture, forestry, 

 mining, irrigation, and other industries are fully appreciated 

 and that ami)le i)rovisi(Ui has been made for the conservation of 

 our interior and coastwise fishery resourt-es. 



A disi)ute that is practically coexistent with the United States 

 is that involving the fisheries carried on by our New England 

 fishermen on the shores of the English colonies on the northeast 

 coast of Xorth America. Treaty after treaty, modus \ivendi and 

 modus vivendi liave sought to define and limit tlu' rights and 

 privileges of the fishermen with so little result that on more than 

 one occasion a war cloud has a])peared on the horizon and gained 

 consideral)le size. It is therefore a source of great satisfaction 

 to all conci'rned that this long standing dispute, by mutual agree- 

 ment, will now be submitted to the internatiomd arbitration tri- 

 bunal at The llague. 



The apparent inability of the states to unite on measures for 

 the ]n'otection of the fish life in the basin of the great lakes, and 

 tlu'ir willingness to have the federal go\ernment assume juris- 

 diction over the fisheries in all the ))oundary waters contiguous 

 to the Ignited States and C^anada, have resulted in a convention 

 with Great Britain under which an international commission has 

 been appointed and assigned the duty of drawing up regulations 



