l68 NINTH REPORT OF THE 



Tl)e Boston Convention. 



A convention of the Commissioners of the lobster-producing States and British 

 maritime provinces was held at the State House at Boston, Mass., on Wednesday, 

 September 23, 1903, upon the call of Hon. Joseph W. Collins, Chairman of the 

 Department of Fisheries and Game of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, for 

 the purpose of considering what can be done to secure a better protection of 

 the lobster; and, if possible, to obtain laws upon this subject as nearly uniform 

 as possible in the various States and provinces. It was fully appreciated that 

 some immediate and concerted plan must be adopted to prevent the ultimate 

 commercial extermination of the lobster. 



The Dominion of Canada, and Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut 

 and New York States were represented. The convention continued for two days 

 and developed much of interest and importance. 



Upon the organization of the convention Captain Collins was called to preside, 

 and Dr. George W. Field, of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who for 

 several years has made a specialty of investigating the habits and natural history 

 of the lobster from a scientific standpoint, was elected secretary. 



In his address Captain Collins called attention to the fact that the statute 

 laws existing in the several States have proved entirely inadequate to prevent 

 the considerable and continuing diminution in the supply of lobsters. He stated 

 that the question before the convention was, "Shall present conditions continue, 

 or shall we endeavor to bring about the adoption of uniform rules in the different 

 municipalities which may insure the conservation and proper protection of these 

 crustaceans? " 



The following recommendations were reported by a committee consisting of 

 Captain J. W. Collins, of Massachusetts; A. R. Nickerson, of Maine; E. H. Greer, 

 of Connecticut; B. Frank Wood, of New York; W. H. Boardman, of Rhode Island, 

 and Dr. George W. Field: 



First. — We recommend that a law be enacted to limit lobster catching to men 

 having permits from the State; that the penalty for catching lobsters without a 

 permit shall not be less than $100. and that a person convicted of violating the 

 laws for the protection of lobsters shall have his permit revoked, and that no other 

 shall be issued to him for a year thereafter. 



Second. — The committee recommends that it is our desire, if possible, to have 

 uniform, or nearly uniform, laws for the protection of the lobster in the New 

 England States and New York, more especially so far as the legalized length of 

 the lobster is concerned. 



