80 CONFERENCE OF GOVERNORS. 



Mk. a. W. Mead of Peovidence, E. I., Commissioner on In- 

 land Fisheries. 



I have the honor to represent one of the members of the Inland 

 Pish Commission of Ehode Island, and am very glad to be here 

 as a delegate from that State, which is distinct ia two ways at 

 least. It is the smallest State in the Union, and it is also a State 

 whose agricultural lands are largely under the water. As a mat- 

 ter of fact, we have a very considerable portion of our best farming 

 land under the waters of Narragansett Bay. The proposition, 

 therefore, of utilizing this part of the State is a serious one, and 

 for a good many years the commissions (we have two of them) 

 have been strenuously endeavoring to make the best use of this 

 area. 



There are some thiags I wanted to bring up. I am a biologist, 

 like my two friends on the platform, and every time we meet we 

 have an amicable disagreement with regard to the best methods 

 of preserving the lobster. I think every one in New England 

 agrees that the lobster has been on the wane for a long time. The 

 question is, Is it possible to maintain the lobster, as well as other 

 shellfish? Then the question comes as to how it shall be done. 

 In the first place, we must have proper legislation. I think legis- 

 lation ought to be uniform, and for that reason I hope this con- 

 ference will result in good work. It should be uniform throughout 

 the States. The necessity for that uniformity has been illustrated 

 to you. Simplicity of legislation is a great point, but we must 

 have legislation which can be enforced. I think Dr. Field and 

 Professor Herrick hit that point on the head first rate, although 

 I do not agree with them in certain respects. The lobster laws 

 must be enforced. I think also that regulation of propagation 

 can be added to present legislation and the enforcement of the 

 laws, and I am very much impressed with the possibility of a cam- 

 paign of education. I believe what Mr. Myrick said yesterday 

 about the possibility of educating the next generation for their own 

 good. I think Maine has done a very great work in having edu- 

 cated the fishermen to protect their own iaterests. It is well-nigh 

 impossible to enforce fishery laws against the will of the fishermen. 

 If you can get the fishermen to want these laws enforced and to 

 help enforce them, there is no question but what they can be en- 

 forced. It must needs be that offences will come in some eases; 

 but if the fishermen have the enforcement of the law, "woe to 

 him by whom the offence cometh." 



