FISHERY LEGISLATION BEFORE THE FIFTY-NINTH 
CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION. 
BY HUGH M. SMITH, DEPUTY UNITED STATES COMMISSIONER OF 
FISHERIES. 
The Congress whose first session was concluded on June 30, 
1906, had before it an unusually large number of measures af- 
feeting the fishing industry and fish-culture; some of the most 
important of these were enacted into law, others were favorably 
reported by committee but failed to secure consideration, while 
others did not get beyond the door of the committee room. 
The personnel of the committees which passed upon fishery 
legislation in the Fifty-third Congress—the committee on fisher- 
ies of the Senate, the committee on the merchant marine and 
fisheries in the House—included some of the ablest men in both 

houses. Certain fishery legislation was also considered by the 
committees on foreign affairs and territories. 
All bills affecting fishery matters or relating in any way to the 
fishery work of the government are referred by the committees 
to the Secretary of Commerce and Labor and by him sent to the 
Commissioner of Fisheries for a written report or statement of 
the position of the government as to the merits of the proposed 
legislation. Later, public hearings may be held, and the Com- 
missioner or a representative of the Bureau of Fisheries may 
appear before the respective committees and give testimony or 
make argument. 
It has not often happened that Congress has undertaken to 
regulate fisheries on the high seas or on the coasts of the states. 
One of the most conspicuous examples of such legislation was 
the so-called close time mackerel law, enacted in 1887, expiring 
by lmitation in 1893, and having for its ostensible object the 
protection of the mackerel (Scomber scombrus) during the 
spawning season. ‘This bill prevented the capture of mackerel 
by American vessels prior to June Ist of each year, and had the 
effect of wiping out the southern spring mackerel fishery which 
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