Fish Culture in Inland Waters 333 



mitted for a long time and has been prohibited in Vermont for a 

 number of years. Undoubtedly there are other factors than fish- 

 ing operative in the decrease of food and game fishes in that lake. 

 The nature of some of them is apparent if not quite evident, but 

 there are unknown factors which must be ascertained before the 

 problem of how to rehabilitate the lake or maintain the present 

 stock in it can be solved. Lake Champlain is a large body of 

 water which, if properly regulated, might afford valuable fisheries 

 for all time. The States of New York and Vermont control the 

 greatest extent of water, although a comparatively small but impor- 

 tant portion comes under the jurisdiction of Canada. It would seem 

 that the lake affords such important fisheries possibilities that it 

 demands international and interstate cooperation in an investigation, 

 the results of which would provide basic knowledge for the joint 

 establishment of adequate fish cultural procedures and rational effort 

 directed toward the development and regulation of these fisheries. 



RETROSPECT AND REFLECTIONS 



The foregoing discussions embody only a small part of the 

 evidence which shows that, from early times to the present, most 

 of the efforts to restore and maintain the fisheries have been 

 injudicious. But it would seem that enough evidence 'in that direc- 

 tion has been presented to afford food for thought, and to indicate 

 that revised, if not to say reformed, restorative and constructive 

 measures must be adopted, if the fishery resources are to be pre- 

 served for future generations. This discussion has pertained mainly 

 to the " game fishes," for the reason that the State has given its 

 principal attention to those species, but enough has been said to 

 show that it is impossible to disregard the other kinds of fish. The 

 game fish form only a part of the whole, and regulations pertain- 

 ing to game fish involve correlated regulations pertaining to all 

 other associated fishes. Again, regulations pertaining to the whole, 

 or to the perpetuity of any important part of the whole, can be 

 constructively effective only when based upon exact knowledge. 

 Exact knowledge is available only through intensive and prolonged 

 study of all conditions pertaining to the objects of regulation. 



It has been repeatedly asserted that such studies have been too 

 scattered, too fragmentary, or too incomplete to afford the necessan,' 

 foundation for rational procedures and regulations. There is 

 primary need for a sustained, constructive policy toward investiga- 

 tions of the fishery resources. Perhaps one reason for the unsatis- 

 factory condition is that the fishery interests are so diverse, as 

 some of them are located on international boundaries, some on 

 State boundaries, and still others involve both international and 

 State interests. That is to say, one body of water may border on 

 several states and Canada, as for instance Lake Champlain. As a 

 rule only the smaller bodies of water are wholly within the borders 

 of any one state. 



It is true that there have been international fisheries commissions, 



