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studying the subject, that your most serious attention should be given to preserv- 
ing what we have left, namely, the black bass, and I think it would be wise to 
pass rigid iaws prohibiting inland netting, netting along the shoals and shores of 
islands in lake Ontario, and the river St. Lawrence. I would recommend and ad- 
vise the prohibiting of all kinds of netting at all times within three miles of any 
shore. It is a well known fact that during certain seasons of the year, black bass 
approach the shore for the purpose of spawning, and after the spawn has’ been 
hatched the parent fish remain to guard their offspring for a considerable time 
until they are able to care for and protect themselves from their various enemies 
of the fish kind, and in the event of the parent fish being destroyed it is self-evi- 
dent that the young would be left to the mercy of their numerous enemies and 
would be destroyed. In addition to the foregoing reasons, at certain seasons of 
the year, depending on the temperature of the water, bass approach the shoals 
and shores of islands for feeding purposes, and this furnishes an opportunity for 
the wicked and ever present netter to destroy more or less of these noble game 
fish, which are becoming so rapidly extinct. 
This is a very important matter and I trust you will pardon me if I again 
urge the fish Commissione!s to investigate the matter and use every means to 
protect the fish above referred to, which I am confident, unless something is done 
very soon, will become as completely extinct as whitefish in Lake Ontario. I 
think this question should receive your immediate attention and, if possible, laws 
carrying this into effect, should be passed during the coming winter. I consider 
even another year’s delay very dangerous, from the fact that fruitless efforts to 
secure paying quantities of whitefish and lake trout has caused netters to turn 
their special attention to capturing the only remaining fish, namely, the black 
bass and wall-eye pike, which seem to be about all the game fish we have left. 
Wishing yourself and the Commissioners all possible success, 
Yours very respectfully, 
(Signed,) H. H. WarRNER, 
President Anglers’ Association of the St. Lawrence River. 
The following letter was also read from Mr. James Nevin : 
Mapison, WIs., Dec. 7, 1891. 
A. D. Stewart, E'sq., Secretary Joint Convention, Hamilton, Ont. : 
Dear Sir,-—Your communication of 25th ult., at hand, and contents duly 
noted. We recognize fully, the importance of the meeting which is called to 
discuss the fish question, which is of so much commercial value to the several 
States bordering on the great lakes and Canada. 
In the fall of 1884 our Commissioners took the initial steps by calling a 
meeting of Commissioners of the several States. They also invited fishermen, 
who were directly interested, to meet and discuss various measures before 
the meeting in regard to making laws -for the better protection of the fishes 
of the great lakes. The meetings which were held at Detroit, Mich., and Mil- 
waukee, Wis., accomplished much good, but to get uniform laws tor the several 
States and Canada is an impossibility. 
