The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-12-22
THE DENIzENS OF WOOD AND STREAM.
What the state Authorities Have
Done for Their Protection.
A Years Work In the Great Stone
Building at Thomaston.
Two Reports Annually Made TO the
Governor and Council.

The annual report of the state commits
sloners Of fisheries and game to the Governor
and council has been made public. Messrs.
Stillwell and Stanley, the commissioners, re-
port that they have done as much in the line
Of their work as the small sum Of money at
their DISPOSAL permitted. In the matter Of
fish aud game much has been done. Trout
have been fairly well protected and have
held their own everywhere save along the
line OF the Canadian Pacific where the most
reckless slaughter has been permitted at all
times. As regards salmon the report is not
so favorable. The Penobscot Is the only sal
mon river in the country that has been well
supplied with fsh-ways. A dam and fish
way were torn down at Old Town in 1887
and the fish were much interfered with.
Since then sulphide pulp mills have been
started on the river and the future OF the
salmon fisheries Is not bright During the
year 100000 salmon fry were distributed In
the Crooked, Pen0bsc0t, KenneDec and st.
CToix rivers. or laDd-l0cked salmon more
encouraging words are spoken. Their prop
agatiOn and introduction into new waters
has been decided success. The commits
sloners have had many requests from OWL
ers Of private lands for a supply of fish and
eggs. Whenever 1t has been possible the
requests have been complied with. The sup
ply of land-locked salmon Is obtained from
Sebago lake and the commissioners say that
their operations of taking them In river as
they came into the river In the fall stopped
the illegal speariDg and netting. During the
year the distribution of land-locked salmon
eggs amounted to 100000. They were taken
from Rangeley, Edes Falls, Enfield and
Wells.
Regarding game the commissioners say:
"The increase In some kinds Of game within
the last two years has been wonderful. Deer
ha. Rter rnAIn fANa.
in many localities where they have been ex-
tinct for many years. This Is owing to the
protection of the law they have re-
ceived in that portion of the state and Of the
non-dogglDg. Yet there IS portion Oh the
defiance and kill deer in and out Of season
and with dogs"
The commissioners call attention to the
meagreness Of the appropriation for their
use. They recommend at least $4,000 per
annum as a suitable sum for the proper en-
fOrcement OF the law at all times of the
year.
The following changes in the fish and game
laws are suggested:
That the open time for moose, caribou and
deer commence in September.
That heavy penalty and Imprisonment for
using dynamite or any other explosives In
Destroying or taking ish be imposed.
That the law against using spoons in
catching fish be repealed. 1t cannot be en-
forced as tney cannot be seen when In use
and are no more deadly than other bait.
That the law In regard to posting notices
on streams and ponds protected by special
laws, be changed. so that 1t shall apply to
private waters owned and protected by pri-
vate individuals.
That the principle involved In the fish law
limiting the amount Of fish to be transported
by the person catching the same, shall apply
to every species of game.
That bounty be placed upon the killing
Of seals.
That laws be passed to prevent the loss of |
young salmon which are often caught in |
weirs at low tide and die. and the killing of |
deer for their skins by aliens.
One Canadian Frenchman alone killed over |
80 moose last year for their hides and left |
their carcasses to rot on the snow. The CON-
mmisSiOners also recommend a change In the |
warden system, making certain number Of |
men wardens for the whole state and as |
signing them to districts not near their |
homes.
he report of B. Webb Counce, Esq, of |
ThomastOn, commissioner of sea and shore |
fisheries Is appended. Mr. Counce deals |
with Holsters, mackerel, menhadeD, alewves |
and smelts, and his report is largely statisti- |
CAL The lobster catch for the year was |
about q. .000 00o which is less than last year |
AND much less than the year before. Mr.. |
COunce calls attention to this decrease and |
suggests that lobster culture. NAV become |
necessary to prevent their extinction.
The same remarks apply also to mackerel, |
the catch for the year being 1901 barrels |
against larger number each preceding year, |
reaching 422, 900 in 1884.
Menhaden struck in this year after an alb |
sence of II years. About 100000 were /
caught. They were disposed of in four diff |
ferent factories, giving employment to 400 |
persons and making 1850 barrels of oil and |
800 tons Of fertilizer. Several steamers have |
been seized for vsolation of the laws against |
Seining, but they act so practically that it Is |
hard for a warden to set foot on board.
AlewiveS were fairly numerous, some |
where near 100000 having been caught and |
smoked.
A recommendation Is made that the law |
be so amended as to allow the catching of /
smelts In dip nets mp TO May 1, and that the /
smelts may be sold until that date. The |
present close time on smelts is from April 1 |
tO 0at0ha