Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-12-22

are leIt Try ~ low uIe. coulc law suVuiu
be passed for their protection.
8. Ska hunting, which is destined to
destroy the finest game animals Of Maine.
can be readily put an end to, il our leRis-
ls,ure will only give us the means. A law
TO this end should be enacted.
Sea and shore Fisheries.
Upon the whole the laws in relation to
sea and shore fisheries have been observed
as well SIS could be expected with the limited
means at command; although it has been
quite difficult to get good, efficient and
reliable wardens to serve for the small pay
given.
LoBsrERs As nearly As can be ascer.
tanned the whole cstch Of Holsters on the
coast of Maine for 1890 is about 20 .0O0. 900
Some twenty per cent less than in 1885
when the catch was estimsted at 25,000,.
600. Lobsters seem to be getting less each
year and should be better protected. Nc
Holsters less than nine (9) inches in Length
should be used, as Holsters of this size sell
dom have any eggs. One Of the strongest
evidences of decrease of Holsters in thit
State is the average size of those now SEM
to market. The average length of Holsters
in the market in 1889 and 1890 was about
10 1-2 inches and would weigh about two
pou nds on an average against the average
length of about thirteen inches and would
weigh three and one.haf pounds to foul
pounds ten years sgo. There are thirty.
six factories on the Maine coast which put
up Holsters. sardines, herring and mackerel.
MAcKEREL. This fish seems to be grow
ing less each year. Only 1901 barrels
were caught in 1890. sQainst IL .233 in 1859
40. $50 in 1888; 7S.47s in 1887; s3l5 in
1886; $50 ,O33 10 1885. and 422, 1877 in 1884.
Most of the mackerel caught in 1890 were
q1te small, numbering about 3s.
PoGIEs AND MENHADEN. The sudden
appearances Of this fish last year and the
present season after an absence of twelve
years from our coast cannot be accounted
for or. at least, it has not been. Large mum
bers have been caught and made into
oil this season. 1t is said that one
| steamer caught at one haul 2.20C
barrels and that another had caught $4,000
barrels this season, and it is estimated that
about 100000 have been caught. Fou,
Gil factories have operated this reason and
have used about 262 ,000 barrels porgies and
made about L. 800 barrels of oil fifty gal
Ions to the barrel worth twenty-one cents
per gallon also made about 8, 100 tons scrap,
worth $50 per ton. About 400 men were
employed at average wages of $50 per
month and board. About sixty of the men
were forei gners and were employed at less
wages.
Chapter 3oG, section /, Laws of 1889,
should be made more definite as it does not
seem to be well Understood.
ALEwWEs. The catch of this fish at
Newcastle and Damariscotta this season is
said to be about three-fourths of the mum.
Der caught last year. The total number
caught was 1,608.675. valued at $500.
At Waldoboro the catch in 1889 was about
$1,000, the largest catch in one day being
81 900. Six weirs on Georges river yielded
60, 900 in 1889. and l45 900 in 1890. At
Warren the number has not been aecer-
tanned, but the revenue was about 1898 90
for each year, 1889 and 1890.
SMELLS. This little fish 10 caught in
weirs and in large quantities in this State
and shipped to Boston, New York and
Philadelphia, at a profit in the fall aud win
ter.
"Section 9TH, Laws 1887, provides that
no emelts caught in such weirs after the
first dsv Of April shall be sold or offered
for sale in this State, nor shall smelts
caught in any manner between the first
day of October following" Commissioner
Counce recommends that the time should
be extended for taking smelts in the spring
by dir-net to Msy LIST. 1t was formerly
May goth, but was changed to suit the weir
men, and certainly it would look hard that
the spring fishermen should be entirely
shut off that the fall fishermen should
gain.