The Portland daily press., 1889-01-31
THE WELFARE OF THE MAINE LOBSTER,
And the interests Of the Maine
Lobster Dealer.
Both Sides Of the Question Placed
Before the Legislature.
Others Matters Relating to the Pro-
lection Of Fish and Came.
rspee,al to the Press.

|
Especial to the Press.l
AUeusTA. Jan. 30.-Fishery and game
matters are likely to take up a great deal Of
time this session. Today there was verit-
able shower of bills and petitions on this
subject.
Mr.. Walton, in the Senate, obtained the
attention of that august body for the ruffied
grouse, and had passed an order directing the
fish and game committee to inquire into the
expediency of changing the close time on
that desirable bird.
| In the House, among matters Of this class,
the lobster law clearly held the floor. At
the first Of the session there were great
many petitions coming from places. most of
them on the eastern part of the coast, where
there are canning factories. These petitions
asked for close time for the whole Of the
year except the months in the spring and
summer when the canning factories are in
operation. These petitions were all drawn
in the same form and language, and evident
| came in accordance with a concerted plan
| Now there are coming in many other petit
tlons from different sources, many Of them
| in the western part of the State. In the
House this forenoon Mr.. Whitten of Port,
| land presented the petitions Of Merrill
| Woodward, S. A. Skillin, George Trefetnen,
| K. A. Woodman and several hundred others,
| asking for change in the present LOBSTER
| law, representing that they do not believe 1t
| to be for the best interests of the State.
| Mr.. Bird, of Rockland, presented large
| petition of G. Howe Wiggin and 24O others
| of Rockland asking for repeal OF the close
| time. Mr. Nash, of Cherryield, presented
the petition of A. Tabbutt and 80 Others OF
Addison asking for repeal of the lobster law;
er such petition from W. B. Smith and 56
Others; also OF 5. b. Morey and AZ others,
also of S b. Thurston and 80 others.
Mr.. Eels, of Camden, presented the petit
tion OF Samuel Ayres and 80 others for re-
peal of the close time. Mr.. Grindle, of Mt.
Desert, presented another petition from +.
W. Lunt and SO others. Representative Cor
den, OF st. George, also presented similar
petition.
The petitioners who ask for repeal of the
close time represent that they believe thatthe
present close time Is detriment and an in
jury to every lobster dealer and hotel keeper
In the State. They say that the law deprives
our lobster fishermen of the privilege OF sell
ing their catch during the season when there
is the greatest demand, while the fishermen
Of the Provinces get almost monopoly OF
the business. The petitioners do not believe
the close time avails to protect the lobster
during the shelling season which varies
lluCu llulu lcdL W year duQ QtuCACnb lO-
calities. Nature, they say, affords all the
protection at this period, that the law Is In
tended to give, since the Holsters secrete
themselves in the rocks and mud and can
not be trapped during the season Of the
shedding of the she'll The petitioners
further represent that it Is only question OF
time when the lobster dealers Of this State
will be obliged to go out of business, since
the two months of close time when they can
not pursue their business deprives them OF
THAR xvho n IN the dnalare Of nth
er States. Moreover, the hotels that are now
springing up along our whole coast are de-
prived of one of the most tempting dishes
that the table can boast. Finally, the petit
tioners represent that after very unprofta-
BILE season they find themselves confronted
by gigantic opposition by the provincial
dealers and fishermen who are flooding our
American market with Holsters on which
there is no duty and most OF which are OF a
size that is prohibited by the laws of this
State and Massachusetts,. But being foreign
goods in transit they are carried on to New
York where they demorallze the market to
the great detriment Of Maine fishermen and
dealers.
But the battle goes not wholly In favor of
those who want the lobster to look out for
himself Mr.. Wakefield of Bath. brought in
this forenoon an immense rem0nstrance OF
b. +. Savage and 5S5 Others OF Bath, who do
not want to see any change in the present
lobster law. Many of them are fish dealers.
They all think that close time Is necessary
to prevent the lobster. from practically dis
appearing from our shores.
There were many other matters relating to
fish and game in the House today.
Representative Alden of Winthrop, pre-
sented the petition of the selectmen of War
rem and 166 Others, praying for the appoint
ment of special fish commissioner whose
duties it shall be to see that proper fish ways
constructed for shad and alewiyes through
out the State
Mr.. Mitchell of Newfield, presents the pc
tition of W. e. Whitten and % others, ask
ing for close time from Nov. lst to May
1st of each year on the Norton and Davis
brooks in Shapleigh and Newfield.
Mr.. Burleigh of Vassalb0ro, introduces a
bill to provide penalty for every pickerel
caught in Kennebec county by any other
means than by hook and line.
Mr.. Lombard of Windam, brings In the pc
tion of Thomas w. Knight and others for a
law to protect pickerel in Little Sebago
Pond.
sents the petition of Samuel Titcomb and
144 other citizens of Augusta for an amend
ment of r.. S., chap. 40 relating to taking of
shad and alewives in the Kennebec river.
The petitioners ask that the lawful taking
of salmon be at all seasons confined to the
use of the hook and line, and that the taking
of shad and alewives be confined to the COM
mon seine or drift net. Mr.. Carson of Mt.
Vernon presents the petition of (. Ii. Dol
loft and others of Mt. Vernon in aid Of the
same.
Mr. Carson also presents the petition of
F. l.. Hopkins and q others Of Mt. Vernon,
praying for a law to prohibit the taking of
pickerel by set hooks in Moose Pond, in Mt.
Vernon, for term Of five years. A bill ac-
companies this petition. Mr.. Carson also
presents another bill to prohibit the taking
Of land-loeked salmon from Parker's Pond
for term of fYe years.
Mr.. Whitten of Portland sends in the re-
monstrance of }. K. Martin and 314 others
against changing the law in relation to game
birds. The petitioners also represent that
sec. 30 of chap. 124, of the Il. S., relating to
shooting Of pigeons" should be repealed.
Mr.. Wilbur Of Avon presents the petition,
with bill accompanying. of p. A, Savage, for
a law to prohibit the taking of fish in Blue
Mountain Pond. in Franklin county, be-
tween Oct. 1st and May 1st each year.