Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-12-02
SEA AND saoaf FlsaEaIes. s1s


Dr. E. ". Gould, commits OF sea
and shore fisheries. was in the city this
xeek and lat his biennial report in the
hanais of the printers. This report also in
cludss a history of the so-eallesi s'Lspham
Bill THE report is interesting through
ouf and owing to the increased interest IN
fisheries legi,lasion will command u wide
circle of readers
The general results attending the worn
OF the commission daring the past I'VE
years are, the commission seheyes, yer,
encouraging snsi afford good ground for arg
ing a further extension OF our "wafdsi
system and more extensive facilities To-
properly enforcing the present protective
laws The euast fisheries OF Masne, II need
scarcely be said, are Of greai
commercial interest AMI warrant our best
exertions- to meet the growing scarcity or
tish AMI the consequent advance in prices
xbich 10 some varieties is SUFFICIENT,
marked to constitute them almost luxuries.
The commissioner thinks, ho.eyer, that
this increased demand has acted as slim
alns upon the thinking portions Of our fish-
ing population causing them TO observe the
conditions Of fish growth and enabling them
to suggest means whereby evils may be
remeiied and the great interests OF 1.-THE
fisheries promoted
Il,r principal difficulties which the conf
missioner has tOunl in enforcing the Law
arr Extent Of coast To be protected, lack
of marine police boat; lack of funds; skill
ful eyasions of the law. Speaking OF the
need Of marine police boat, he says such
a boat is deemed indispensable IN Massa-
ehusetts As things now are in Maine the
presence of a warden can be and usually l.
heraIded in advance by code of Signals II
at night, by lights; il by day, by flags and
steam whistles The sniacks TO whom the
fishermen sell their illegal catch possess Il
thorough knos ledge Of the coast AMI are
practically out of reach of the warden and
find a market for their contrabdnl goods in
anv neighboring state where their sale Il.
permitted.
10 say nothing of the careful inyestiga-
ton into fish habits which it would make pos
slble, the presence of steamer would have
"A most saiutarv effect ON these law breakers.
Among the many needs for more funds
the commissioner cites the need of money
for the prosecution of u series of investiga-
tions relating to certain branches of our
shore fisheries, more especially the fixed
shell fish. The Importance OF certain i'll
dustries dependent upon the shell fish would
well warrant more complete investigation
and the danger line of extinction of certain
species, especially the clam. might be
avoided both by reasonable restrictions and
by increasing the supply by suitable prop
agation The same thing is true of the
scallop and quohoc.'
Commissioner Could also recommends
the establishing of an experimental and
Matching station in connection with the work
of his department Such station would
be of special advantage in connection with
the artificial propagation of the lobster.
The commissioner does not attempt the
compiling of statistics as he believes with
our lack of facilities for collecting reliable
statistics, to publish any would be mislead.
ing than otherwise lie says "A most
valuable assistance in reaching these
important results by tabulatior
would be for the State TO adopt the
system of licenses and reports of those
engaged in fishing industries, which ha,
given great satisfaction in Massachusetts,.
Among the methods employed to eyadt
the law he cites the lobster frauds and the
SEEMING for mackerel and menhaden at nigh
as well as day. Into the lobster iisherie:
the commissioner has made special investi
CATION which has demonstrated certain
facts. The conclusion is unanimous tina
the lobster is rapidly being extermInate'
along the coast of Maine. MANY of til,
/ fishermen go so far as to assert that unless
measures are at once taken to prevent sucl
wanton waste it will speedily happen tina
none of these delicious crustaceans viii
remain to be taken by anyone. The mair
/ causes of this diminuton are six: In
creased demand, illegal sale of Holsters o.
! less than the prescribed length, Illegal can
ming of Holsters, picking Holsters, killing
spawn of Holsters, collision witt
transportation companies. Regarding
the increase in demand for lob
sters, the commissioner cites as causes
widening of the markets by means OF tht
improved transportation facilities, influx o.
sea shore visitors during the summer
months. HOLSTERS boiled in the shell are be
ing shipped in refrigerator cars tn all bust
ness centres as far west as st. Louis an,
Chicago. while advantage is taken of tht
rapid through freight system to ship then
alive on ice TO the great eastern cities.
The commissioning devotes considerable
space in his report to description of tbs
MANY devices employed hy the fishermen
transportation companies and others il
cva,ling the laws relating to short Holsters
Some idea of the amount of this rontrabaut
shipment may be- gained from the fact tina
there is record at this office o.
nearly "a 900 Holsters less thar
the prescribed leagth detected during
the last two years in transit in the city OF
Portland and vicinity" Among other de.
vices for shipping short HOLSTERS he mention,
one comparatively new, the shipping of
"raws." BY "a raw is meant the tail and claw,
of short Holsters torn off while the lobster
i. alive. THIS is usually done ON boart
the smacks the raws being packed in ice
for shipment As regards illegal
canning. in a single case a warler
seized at a factory 31i boiled short Holsters
The closest personal inquiry into the matter
establishes the fact that the lobster doe,
not reproduce its kind until it has attained
a growth of about ten inches in length"
The commissioner is very plain Spoken
with regard to the transportation companies
He saws 1.-THE great mass of poaching woult
be impossible if these companies wert
Z
preserva,ion. Unfortunately with some ex
ceptions they are not. II seems harsh to
SAY that many of the companies enjoying
valuable franchises under our laws. shouid
b., willing, for the sake of the fees earned
in 80 doing, TO assist in violating them
The report calls attention to the fact that
during the past two years a great change
IN public sentiment is noticed, concerning
the protection and restoration of the sea
and shore fisheries of Maine
'.Dur wardens are no longer looked upon as
enemies of the fishermen and fishing inter.
ests but are hailed as protectors of the fish
[ the people could be- brought to see that
every man, who either wilfully or ignorant
~ violates a protective law robs our citizens
of their rightfnl property there woul be
more sympathy and greater appropriations
for this branch of the States work" The
commissioner regards the forming of county
fish and game protective societies
"a most potent factors for rendering
cooperation. He thinks these might
properly centralize themselves into
a state league. lie hasa good word to say
for the wariens. who, he says have been
very efficient in their work. The amount
of fines paid iuto the state treasury since
the last comm -sIoner report is S56a1 10.
In regard to the depreda ions of seals,
among other things the commissioner says
that while pursuing an aggressive policy
against agencies that tend q lessen the
fish food supply of the people he will sug-
gest before legislation tending towards ex-
termination that the place the seal occupies
in the economy of nature be established by
proper investigation.
Attention is called to the disastrous effects
of poaching in Winneganee creek. the only
place called 10 the attention of the commits
a.. H..