711.428/1282
The Acting Secretary of State to the Minister in Canada ( Phillips )
Sir: Reference is made to your despatch No. 959 of April 23, 1929, regarding seine fishing in the Missisquoi Bay Section of Lake Champlain, with which you enclosed a copy of a note, No. 38, of April 22, 1929, from the Secretary of State for External Affairs, expressing the pleasure of the Canadian Government in stating that it accepts the proposal of a fact-finding commission and will be prepared to discuss appropriate arrangements. I am gratified to note that you have been successful in securing the agreement of the Canadian Government to discuss this question upon its individual merits.
It is noted that the Canadian Government points out that in addition [Page 74] to the pickerel taken in seines in Missisquoi Bay, large quantities of the more undesirable fish such as perch are taken, and that, if the latter fish are not removed, their ascendancy in the whole lake area might result in detriment to the pickerel fishery. It is also noted that the Canadian Government understands that in Lake Champlain waters fishing through the ice is carried on to an important extent, resulting in the capture of pickerel with detrimental results. The suggestion of the Canadian Government that these points among others should be carefully inquired into by the proposed commission, is agreeable to this Government. Should any other international questions regarding game fishery conservation in Lake Champlain waters develop during the investigation, this Government will be pleased to receive recommendations from the commission regarding their solution.
In agreeing to the broadened scope of the investigation, you will not fail to call to the attention of the Secretary of State for External Affairs, the original proposal of this Government set forth in instruction No. 225 of May 8 [9], 1928,42 which I understand is acceptable to the Canadian Government.
This Government is prepared to designate Dr. John Van Oosten of the United States Bureau of Fisheries to cooperate with the representative of the Canadian Government in this investigation. Upon being informed of the official to be designated by the Canadian Government, Dr. Van Oosten will be directed to communicate with the Canadian representative.
Please communicate with the Secretary of State for External Affairs in the sense of the foregoing and transmit his reply as soon as it is received.43
I am [etc.]
- Foreign Relations, 1928, vol. ii, p. 37.↩
- In his despatch No. 1148, September 30, 1929, the Minister in Canada reported that the Canadian Government had selected James A. Rodd, director of fish culture of the Dominion Department of Fisheries, as the Canadian representative (711.428/1326).↩