34 
REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. 
workers of the world, and as a whole the gathering* was the most 
noteworthy and important of the kind ever held in the Western 
Hemisphere. 
There were presented a large number of papers of exceptional 
merit, which, with the discussion elicited, covered nearly every phase 
of fishing, fishery legislation, aquiculture, acclimatization, and scien- 
tific investigation of aquatic problems. Many of the papers were 
submitted in competition for the 18 cash prizes aggregating $2,200 
offered by various institutions and individuals. By direction of the 
Secretary, the publication of the papers and proceedings of the con- 
gress will be undertaken by the Bureau, which has reserved for this 
purpose the Bulletin for 1908. 
Among the resolutions and views adopted by the congress were 
the following: (1) Expressing pleasure that the long-standing fish- 
ery dispute between the United States and Great Britain affecting 
waters on the northeast coast of North America is to be submitted 
to settlement by arbitration; (2) commending the President of the 
United States for his stand in behalf of the conservation of natural 
resources; (3) advocating the establishment, in all countries having 
important fisheries, of national schools of fisheries and fish culture 
under government auspices; (4) urging the necessity of simplifying 
fishery laws by the elimination of qualifying clauses which often 
provide loopholes through which offenders may escape penalties and 
waters remain unprotected; (5) favoring the formation of the Ap- 
palachian Forest Reserve and other similar reserves which embrace 
the headwaters of important fishing streams; (6) advocating uniform 
measures on the part of the United States and Canada for the ex- 
termination or utilization of the dogfishes, in view of the great 
injury done thereby to the fishing industry; (7) reaffirming the action 
of former international fishery congresses in recommending an in- 
ternational oceanographic exploration of the Mediterranean in the 
interests of the fisheries. 
This series of congresses was organized and inaugurated at Paris 
in 1900, the intervening meetings having been held at St. Petersburg 
in 1902 and Vienna in 1905. The next congress will convene at 
Rome in 1911. 
EXPOSITIONS. 
The Bureau took part in two expositions during the year, one at 
Seattle, Wash., and the other at Quito, Ecuador. 
In an act of Congress approved May 27, 1908, special provision 
was made for the Bureau’s participation in the Alaska-Yukon- 
Pacific Exposition, which opened at Seattle June 1, 1909, for a period 
of five and a half months. Preparations were begun in September, 
1908, and by the opening day the installation had been completed and 
