32 COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION 



central institutions attended by some 500 or 600 students annually. 

 Each takes a three-year course and the graduates are employed after- 

 wards in directing and developing the fisheries of Japan and the dif- 

 ferent areas where fishing is carried on. Perhaps that fact explains 

 the very large share which the Japanese have captured of the halibut 

 and other fisheries of our Pacific coast. Our plan must be to train 

 the more intelligent young fishermen as instructors, and our methods 

 must be of such a nature that the interest of these young fishermen will 

 be gained. When that is accomplished, they will soon find means of 

 adding to their equipment whatever more is necessary. 



What should How shall we go about it in Canada ? I would suggest 

 be Done in that, first, the Government undertake the publication 



Canada? gf suitable bulletins, freely illustrated and very simply 



and clearly worded; second, that the Government should provide 

 demonstrations by means of travelling instructors at suitable centres. 

 Short courses, suitable for selected leaders from all fishing localities, 

 should be provided thereat. In addition to these provisions, courses in 

 nature study having to do with the fisheries should be given in all public 

 schools in fishing communities. Then, in the organization of the fish 

 hatcheries and in the management of them, provision should be made 

 for the training of men in that special branch of service. Finally, win- 

 ter schools should be inaugurated wherever ten or twelve persons could 

 be induced to attend, each with courses for young fishermen (a) in 

 fishery subjects and (&) in navigation and boat machinery. It should 

 not be beyond our capacity to provide such opportunities by the hearty 

 and cordial cooperation of the Dept. of Fisheries, the provincial 

 departments of education, bodies of public-spirited citizens, and the 

 trustees of public schools concerned. All that could be done in this 

 direction would accrue to the national welfare through the conservation 

 of the fisheries themselves and, best of all, through the improvement of 

 the conditions and the betterment of the outlook of the fishermen and 

 their families. 



Mr. Feilding: No one is more interested than I in this proposal 

 for the education of fishermen. I have advocated it for many years. 

 Ten or fifteen years ago I wrote a paper for the International Fisheries 

 Conference on the same subject. During the past few months I have 

 been doing some work for the Ontario Government in connection with 

 fisheries conservation work in some of the inland lakes and, in each 

 case, have invited fishermen to meet me and discuss some of their many 



