The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1883-08-02
Menhaden and Mackerel,


| A L. S. SENATE COMMITTEE.
AT recent session the legislature of New
Jersey passed law forbidding the catching of
menhaden within three miles Of the New Jer-
sey coast. This was vetoed by the Governor,
on the ground that the subject properly belong
ed to the general government. The subjects in
volved came before the United States Senate at
the last session, and a resolution was passed,
| lnstructing the Committee on Federal Relations
to act in conjunction with the Fish Commission
during the recess, and examine into the protec-
ton to be given by law to the fish and fisheries
| OF the Atlantic coast, and also the extent of the
| jurisdiction of the United States government in
the matter The work was delegated to Il SUBJ
| committee which is now pursuing its nvestiga-
| tons. AT Il recent hearing in Boston the first
| witness called was President B. S. Snow of the
Boston Fish Bureau, who said that if some law
could be passed preventing the catching of
mackerel during the spawning season, between
the middle OF April and the middle of July, 1t
would prevent any growing scarcity. The SEM
ing Of mackerel has not had much to do with
causing Il scarcity. Menhaden are seldom found
near our coast now. They feed upon the same
class OF food as the mackerel, such as smaller
fish and animalcula, but they are too large to be
food for the mackere. There has been no spe-
| cial deficiency in the food fishes for years, but
the present season has come nearer to it than
any for thirty years.
Mr.. Noah Mayo said the moss-bunker or
menhadcn, as he is called, appeared upon our
| coasts some twenty Years ago and remained
nm ln1,o t1,o t,.,t
become very scarce. The menhaden is shyer
than any other fish. These and mackerel are
greatly reduced by the use of the very large
seincs now employed. The menhaden furnishes
food for the bluetish and other large fish, but
not for mackerel The mackere is the most
valuable of our fishes excepting salmon and
blue fish
Last week the committee was in Portland.
and the following gentlemen were called as
Witnesses Messrs. Emery Cushing, Charles d.
Themes. Charles A. Dyer. Q. b. Written, John
A. Emery, n. O. Cram, Geo. Trefethen and Z.
G. Willard Of that city, Capt. Robbins and Mr..
johnson of Deer Isle. All of these gentlemen
responded first to the questions, Did the men
MAIDEN formerly exist in great numbers on this
| coast, have they decreased, and if so, what in
the witnesses opinion was the reason? All
testified substantially to the same effect, that in
1873 the great schools of menhaolen disappeared.
ms was owing to the fact that in pursuing
the menhaden oil business the firms engaged in
the trade. and owning the factories, had en-
ployed 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 together. invade the shoals Of
fish, break them up and brighten them so that
they fled from old haunts in the cases where
they escape. Then, again, many of the wit
nesses thought that at the factories the custom
of crushing the menhaden to express the oil.
and then throwing the otfll overheard, served
TO poison and >icken the fish. and in that way
keep them away.
The witnesses also testified they were not so
much interested in the menhatlen fishery land
such II lie ease with Maine fish dealers gener-
ally) as III the mackerel. But they claimed
| that these same fleets often surround shoals of
mackerel, thinking them menladen and al
though they emptied them back into the ocean
the fish We're so injured by the seining that
they either died or deprecated in size and
tAtness Then, again, the menhatlen were the
principal bait used in catching the mackerel,
and since the menhaden We're driven away the
fishermen had been put to other measures, and
sometimes great straits, for bait.
What. however, seems to be q strong proof
that the steamers did drive away the menhaden
was evidenced by the fact that this vear-now
that the steamers have ceased to be employed
on the coast-the menhaden have been caught
not only in Casco Bay in small numbers. but
have also been seen around their old 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 law prohibiting the catch
ing of the fish during the spawning season, and
tnat the SEEMING of the fish should not be allow
ed up to June 10Th of each year. As an in
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 mackere We're packed valued at
s. per barrel, $50 900 worth of fresh mackerel
taken, and mackerel canned to the value of
Sl3O00O making an industry in mackerel alone
to Portland-Without considering cod, haddock,
halibut. herring, lobster or other tish-amount-
ing to 81 900, 900 annually to Portland, and
not SURPRISING that port.