The motion was seconded and unanimously carried. The report of the Committee on Foreign Relations was then presented. MR. TITCOMB: I move that the report be accepted and printed, and that, if advisable, a few more pages be added before the printer receives the final copy. Motion seconded and carried. TIME AND PLACE OF NEXT MEETING PRESIDENT: We will hear the report of the Committee on Time and Place of next meeting. DR. EVERMANN: Your Committee on Place and Time of holding the forty-first annual meeting of the American Fisheries Society has the honor to report that it has considered the very cordial invitations from New Orleans, Denver, and St. Louis, these being the cities from which formal invitations have been received. After carefully considering the claims of these various cities the committee recommends that the forty-first annual meeting of the Society be held at St. Louis, beginning on Tuesday, October 3, 1911, provided that satisfactory hotel rates can be secured by the Executive Committee. This is respectfully submitted as the unanimous report of the committee. I might say in explanation of the report that the invitations from these various cities were all very cordial and gave assurances that if the meeting were held in any one of them either New Orleans, or St. Louis, or Denverexcellent treatment would be accorded by that city. We all felt that the claims of Denver were strong, that there are many cogent reasons why the Society should meet at Denver. It has never met so far west, and there should be an opportunity of enlarging the membership, and the interests and effectiveness of the Society, by going to Denver. I think that the committee feels that an opportunity should be taken at no distant date to hold a meeting at that place. (Applause.) Mr. Willard moved that the report be received and adopted and the motion was seconded. MR. MEEHAN: This is not a criticism or anything of the kind, but did the committee in fixing October 5th as the date consider the other states? In Pennsylvania the trout are spawning and our trout men are busy, which will prevent nearly half of my men from attending the meeting. I do not know what effect it may have on some of the other states. DR. EVERMANN: It is October 3d. MR. MEEHAN: That is just as bad. At one of our stations this work commences the last of September, which is quite early; but by the 10th of October all our men are busy stripping. I do not know whether that follows in other states. PRESIDENT: It is hard to fix any date that will not bar out some class. MR. MEEHAN: I know it, but as that is the case with us may it not be so elsewhere? So far as the trout men are concerned I think there is more than one place where the trout are then spawning at hatcheries. It makes no difference to me, but it affects three men with us. The report was then adopted. REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON RESOLUTIONS PRESIDENT: We will now receive the report of the Committee on Resolutions, of which Mr. Gunckel is Chairman. MR. GUNCKEL: The Committee on Resolutions has the honor to make the following report: Resolved, That the thanks of the American Fisheries Society be extended to the Board of Managers of the Zoological Society for the numerous courtesies extended to its members and friends through its director, Dr. C. H. Townsend. Resolved, That the thanks of the American Fisheries Society be extended to the trustees of the American Museum of Natural History for the many courtesies extended on the occasion of the Fortieth Annual Meeting. Resolved, That the thanks of the Society be extended to the Fishmongers' Association for the opportunity of inspecting under very favorable conditions the Fulton Fish Market at Pier 17, East River. Resolved, That the thanks of the Society be extended to Dr. Hugh M. Smith for the interest manifested by him in the work of the Society, and especially for his remarkable success in securing additional membership. Resolved, That the thanks of the Society be extended to Mr. Daniel B. Fearing, Newport, R. I., for the donation of a seal and engraved plate for certificate of membership, and for assistance offered in connection with the proposed index of the Transactions of the Society. Resolved, That the American Fisheries Society, fully cognizant of the fact that fish propagation without fish protection and the maintenance of waters free from pollution cannot accomplish the full measure of success in the conservation of fish life and the development of fishery industries, strongly recommends that all proper means be adopted by the Society or by any of its members to secure more effective legislation, federal or state, for the protection of fish and for the adoption of some method of disposing of waste other than by pollution of the waters of our seas, lakes, bays, rivers, or smaller streams. Resolved, That the American Fisheries Society wishes to express its gratification at the successful settlement of the Newfoundland fisheries dispute by The Hague Arbitration Tribunal. Resolved, That the Society has learned with deep regret of the death of seven members during the year, and hereby extends its sympathy to the families of the deceased members mentioned below, and requests that notice of the action be duly transmitted to them by the Secretary: Enrico H. Giglioli, Florence, Italy. George F. Peabody, Appleton, Wis. A. J. Kavanagh, Leadville, Colo. MR. CLARK: I move the adoption of the report of the Committee on Resolutions. The motion was seconded and unanimously carried. MR. TITCOMB: I have a resolution here proposing to endorse and encourage commercial fish hatcheries, or in other words, the men who are engaged in raising trout, bass and other fish for market, so that they can find a market and not be restricted and subject to the same law applying to the sale of wild fish. Some states now have a law fixed so that a man can sell the trout he raises in his yard under certain regulations, at any time of the year. I will present this resolution later. PRESIDENT: Unless otherwise ordered, the resolution will go to the Committee on Resolutions. MR. MEEHAN: I do not want the Chairman of the Resclutions Committee to get away. I have been requested by Dr. Bean to ask the Chairman to present before the meeting such a resolution regarding commercial hatcheries. I believe at first the purpose was to assist in having New York pass something along this line; and while Dr. Bean would like to see such a resolution passed, he wishes to draw the attention of the Chairman of the Committee to the fact that there is already a law that covers the matter in New York. PRESIDENT: There is another resolution by Dr. Henshail that I am informed by the Secretary should be presented. MR. CLARK In order to facilitate our business affairs, I suggest that these different resolutions coming in be handed to the Resolutions Committee for further action. PRESIDENT: That will expedite the matter and it will accordingly be referred to the Resolutions Committee. Returning to our scientific work, the first paper will be presented by Mr. W. E. Meehan, Commissioner of Fisheries, Harrisburg, Pa. The subject is "Work of Pennsylvania in Stopping Water Pollution." The paper was then read. PRESIDENT: We have an address to be delivered along largely similar lines, and I think we should have it before the general discussion is taken up. The presence at this meeting of a representative of our great sister nation on the north, a mighty empire that is developing by leaps and bounds, is, indeed, most gratifying if for no other reason than to emphasize the fact that this is not the United States Fisheries Society, but the American Fisheries Society. I take great pleasure in introducing to you a gentleman who has long been connected with fisheries and forestry conservation, Mr. Kelly Evans from the Province of Ontario. (Applause.) Mr. Kelly Evans, Commissioner of Game and Fisheries of Ontario, then gave an address on "The Practical Enforcement of Fishery Regulations," which was discussed. PRESIDENT: Dr. Morris has an announcement to make. DR. ROBERT T. MORRIS, New York City: I wish to extend, on behalf of Dr. Lucas, Curator-in-Chief of the Brooklyn Museum, a special invitation to those in town this evening to view the educational exhibit of fishes and other animals, as you will find them on the second floor of the Brooklyn Museum of Arts and Sciences. Thursday evening the Museum is regularly open. It is the only natural history collection in the City of Greater New York which is regularly open on an evening of the week throughout the year. This is the evening for this week, and we shall be glad to see any and all of you there. PRESIDENT: The Society will be glad to accept the invitation, for as many of its members as are able to attend, and we thank the Museum authorities very heartily. I understand that the Resolutions Committee has a further report to make. MR. GUNCKEL: Since the first report of the committee we have received a number of letters and communications and suggestions. But the committee has decided that the majority of these have been taken care of at previous meetings and you will find them in the records of the past; even our old members like Dr. Henshall forget that some of these resolutions were passed years ago. As to the Panama Canal we thought we had better wait and see what kind of fish got into it when completed. The following additional resolutions are recommended by the committee: Resolved, That the Society, fully appreciating the efforts now being made in behalf of conservation of natural resources, tenders its assistance and expresses its readiness to cooperate with the National Conservation Association in any way possible. Resolved. That the Society recommends that all states encourage commercial fish culture by suitable legislation providing for the sale of game fish under regulation of the state fish commissions, provided such fish are properly tagged or that adequate provision is made against the sale of wild fish. |