International Commission for Northwest Atlantic Fisheries

The third annual meeting of the International Commission for Northwest Atlantic Fisheries was held in New Haven, Conn., from May 25 to May 30, 1953. For the first time all signatory governments were represented by commissioners, Norway, Portugal, Italy, and France having ratified the convention in the interval between the second and the third meetings. The first regulation established by the commission, concerning the size of meshes in the nets used in the haddock fishery off the New England coast, had been proposed at the preceding annual meeting. It was strengthened at the third meeting and entered into force on June 1, 1953. In addition, the commission made recommendations to its members concerning the improvement of the statistical work of the members and of the commission, and adopted a “comprehensive research program for the Convention area†. The commission chose Halifax, Nova Scotia, as the site of its permanent headquarters, and elected Stewart Bates of Canada as chairman and Commander Tavares de Almeida of Portugal as vice-chairman for the ensuing two years.