The Portland daily press., 1883-07-26
OUR FISHERIES.
The Senate Committee on Foreign Rela
tions and the Portland Fish Business.

Yesterday morning, at 10 o'clock, the men,
bers OF the United States Committee on For
eign Relations-Senators Lapham, of New
York, and Call, of Florida-Mr. Macdonald, of
the United States Fish Commission, with
Messrs. Charles Lapham and Bahcock fthe
clerk and stenographer) met at the rooms of
the Portland Fish Bureau on Commercial,
street.
Senator Lapham, chairman Of the commits
sion, was in the chair, and Mr.. Babcock took
the full testimony offered by the witnesses.
The following gentlemen were called as wit
nesses in succession:- n:-Messrs. Emery Cushing,
Charles D. Thomes, Charles A. Dyer, O. B.
Whitten, John A. Emery, N. o. Cram, Geo.
Trefethen and E. G. Willard of this city, Capt.
Robbins and Mr.. johnson OF Deer Isle.
All of these gentlemen responded first to the
questions, Did the menhaden formerlygexist in
great numbers on this coast, have they de-
creased, and il so, what in the witnesses opin-
ion was the reason? All testified substantially
to the same effect that in 1878 the great schools
of menhaden disappeared. This was owing to
the fact that in pursuing the menhaden oil
business the firms engaged in the trade, and
owning the factories, had employed fleets OF
steamers. Now the sailing vessels do not have
the same effect upon the fish as the steamers.
The sailing vessels depend upon the wind; !;
they cannot pursue the fish with regularity
and system. The steamers, however, keep 10
gether, invade the shoals Of fish, break them
up and frighten them SO that they fed from
old haunts in the cases where they escape
Then, again, many of the witnesses thought
that at the factories the custom OF crushing
the menhaden to express the OIL and then
throwing the offal overheard served to poison
and sicken the fish, and in that way keep them
away.
The witnesses also testified they were not SO
much interested in the menhaden fishery land
such is the case with Maine fish dealers gener-
ally) as in the mackerel. But they claimed
that these same fleets often surrounded shoals
OF mackerel, thinking them me1haden, and
although they emptied them back into the
ocean the fish were SO injured by the seining
that they either died or deprecated in size and
fatness. Then, again, the menhaden were the
principal bait used in catching the mackerel,
and since the menhaden were driven away
the fishermen had been put to other meas
ures, and sometimes great straits, for bait
What, however. seems to be a strong proof
that the steamers did drive away the menha-
deniwas evidenced by the fact that this year
now that the steamers have ceased to be en-
ployed on the coast-the menhaden have been
caught not only in Casco Bay in small mum.
bers, but have also been seen around their cid
familiar haunts. They do not return in great
shoals, but, like advance guards are feeling
their way.
The witnesses desired TO emphasize the fact
that Maine is deeply interested in the preser-
walton of the mackerel fishery, and that Con-
gress should enact a law prohibiting the catch
ing OF the fish during the spawning season, and
that the seining of the fish should not be al
lowed up to June 18th of each year. As an
instance of the immense growth of the mack.
erel fishery of Maine statistics were given to
show that last year, in Portland alone, 100000
barrels of salt mackerel were packed valued at
IS per barrel, $50, 900 worth of fresh mackerel
taken, and mackerel canned to the value of
S150000. making an industry in mackerel
alone to Portland-without considering cod,
haddock, halibut, herring, lobster or other
fsh-amounting to 81. 100000 annually to Port
land, and placing this city on par with Glou-
cester, ii not surprising that port
Yesterday afternoon, by invitation of the
customs authorities, the committee took sail
in the bay in the q. S. revenue steamer Dallas.