Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-12-28

OF the Coamlssioner Of Fisheries and
Game.

the Commissioners Of Fisheries and Game. for
the year 1888:
over SO vide territory with its conflicting
special laws, antagonistic as are most of them
TO the general laws of the Stale. II is no Iipbt
task to administer justice or enforce the laws
OF any one section as to leave no sense of
wrong to Cypress its neighb,r. While we are
ngldiy enforcing the laws in relation to the
taking of certain specie; of fish in one por-
uon OF the State the same fish are freely
caught in another section.
We were summoned to Pembroke bv the
earnest solicitation of one of the State grany-
es, to lay out series of ishways on the
fenmaquan, to let the ale wives up to their old
spawning grounds, where fishery could be
re-established at but small cost that would 90
far towards paying the taxes OF the town; but
the statutes have excluded those waters from
our jurisdiction. The sam. reply have we
been compelled to render 10 applicants from
Lincolnvllle, BOothbay, ETC. The neT Law in
relation to the transportation of lanf-locked
salmon, trout and other fish has proved quite
effective in suppressing market-fshing in cur
waters. Some remedy is required to punish
class who fish merely for the sake of kill
ing; they are not sportsmen; their place is in
the shambles as journeymea butchers.
SALMON.
Our return of salmon from Orland, for our
subscription of 81 900 in 1882 gave US 44o.-
600. These added to a generous contribu-
ton OF 100000 from Prof. Baird gave Us a
sum total of $40. 900. In our distribution of
these eggs 100, 900 were sent to the hatchery
OF 0. A. DENIM, ESQ.,, Moosehead lake To
the State hatchery at Enfield in charge of
Warden A. J. Darling 200,O 900 for Penobscot
river and tributaries. To Machias 10000
for Machias river. To Mr.. Lincoln of Den.
nyviile 10000 for Denny's river. At Nor
way 10000 for Crooked river, Sebago
waters. and the Saco river. We, this wear.
have subscribed to the Orland works 81 900
for salmon eggs to be Matched and used for
stocking and replenishing rivers of Maine
Our return for this season has been 673, 900.
These will be sent to our various Matching
houses and distributed, in the spring of 1854,
to waters where the wretched custom of
throwing in shingle waste and sawdu.st, and
the ever present poachcr, prevents the natur-
al product Of the fish being equal to the re-
quIrement of our rivers. The catch OF
salmon IN the Penobscot river for the year is
reported to US from official sources as good,
in numbers less, in amount or weight great.
er than last year. 1t Is our opinion that
there is larger number of salmon than
formerly.
Netting is now forbidden above tide water
the remnant of our fish. We earnestly solicit
our Legislature for the penalty of term in
the State Prison at hard labor as the punish
ment for using dynamite, or any explosive
material in any of our waters for the taking
OF fish of any description. Nothing less can
prevent their utter destruction.
LAND LOCKED SALMON.
We have expended more of our slender
means for the last two or three years, in try
ing to protect this magnificent fish of Sebago
lake from the organized gang of poachers
that destroy them on their spawning beds on
Crooked river and other tributaries, than we
could well afford Were these fish better
known. this lake would be more visited than
even Dominion waters, and with the same
outlay of time and less money, with as great
success. Some very large land-locked sal
mon have been taken in the spring at the
mouth of Songo river. A poacher was last
year arrested and convicted for spearing a
salmon of "a pounds weight on Crooked
river. An account comes to us to-day of a
salmon found stranded on the banks of
Rogers brook, which measured 81 inches in
length and weighed 221 pounds.
At this point in the report is published
copy of an old lcument dated in 1900. which
is a petition to the House of Representatives
of Massachusetts,, signed by Asael Foster and
80 others, for the protection of "a kind of
trout of uncommon size" on the Crooked
river and its connections, in the months of
September and October.
These fish have proved great success in
Moosehesd lake and in Rangeey waters. In
the former, they are taken more or less every
season; one of four and one-half pounds and
some of smaller size have been taken the
present year. In Rangeley, salmon of four
and one half pounds have been taken, and on
10 de- in ,har Of
very large fish were observed that were esti
mated at much greater weight.
We planted this year 225 900 fry in the
following waters: At Moosehead lake, l00.-
O0O Matched at the excellent hatchery of o.
A. Dennen near the kineo House, in charge
of Capt. Brown. At Rangeley, 100000 at
the Oquossac hatchery, in charge of T G.
Hewey. At Enfield, % .000 in charge of A.
J. Darling. These last were divided between
Island pond, Molunkus pond and Cold
Stream pond
In the report was an earnest protest against
the establishment of factories and mills at
the sources of streams, thereby destroying
their beauty and utility as homes and breed
ny pl aces for fish.
BLACK Bass.
The black bass is still growing in popular
favor. We have had more orders this year
for stocking ponds than We have had it in our
power to fill. The great success met with at
Pushaw lake; the number and size of the fish
taken. some turning the scale at four and
one-half prunds the very marked increase in
both weight and numbers of the white perch,
ali tending to popularize fish protection and
Ash planting; the increase in the product of
fish. the result of the suppression of netting;
all have tended to produce great and bene-
fetal change in the public mind, giving firm
and even enthusiastic support where hitherto
we have been met by active opposition
Newport and Glenburn can BOW boast of the
two most beautiful and productive lakes In
the State, destined in the future to become
popular places of summer resort for devotees
of boating and angling, and where pretty cot
tage residences may be built for family homes
at but triflng cost, and where the easy access
to telegraph and railroad would render their
occupants scarcely conscious of absence from
city social ties. Cobosseecontee, Snow and
Belgrade lakes are all places of marked
beauty and healthfulness, easy of access, and
where facilities for boating and angling are
unsurpassed.