The Portland daily press., 1894-06-02
THE DEER ISLE LOBSTERMEN.
History Of Their Recent Movement
for Self Protection.

Commi ssion Written Receives the Whole
Story AS Printed in the Deer Isle Ga
zette-It is, Strange to Say, Letter
from a Packer-Lobstermen's Article
of Agreement.
The PRESS has called attention to the
fact that for the first time lobstermen on
the Maine coast have organized and agreed
to catch only 1919 inch Holsters. The whole
situation is expressed by Mr.. c.. H. Webb, a
lobster packer, in letter contributed to
the Deer Isle Gazette on May 18th. He re-
GENTLY sent a copy of that date. of this
bright little paper, to Commissioner Written
of this city.
1t states in the first place that the fisher
men are just realizing that the solution of
the problem of lobster protection lies with
themselves and not the law makers. They
have realized, and said so to Mr.. Webb, that
it has been their own folly and useless
waste that has caused the alarming de-
crease of the lobtser. They have saved all
they caught, even the smallest. and sold
them to factories pounds and smacks, have
boiled and Iickled them, spread them on the
grass for fertilizer and when none of
these uses could be made have smashed
themsacross the gunwale of the boat to get
rid of them. They now begin to feel dis
gusted with themselves, and are looking at
the future and not simply the present.
Fifteen and twenty years ago an outfit
for lobsterman cost 500. now it costs from
$500 to $1,000, because big safe boats are
neces airy to go out into the ocean only to
find that their traps will not average one
lobster to trap.
loI-+ - r. IT -
Haut have about $4,000 invested. Should
the industry fail the value of this property
would be almost nothing.
Mr.. Webb says in his article that he notes
the appointment of Mr.. Written as commits
sioner of Shore Fisheries and that he is
gentleman who knows whether fish fly or
swim and that if he does his duty he will be
of untold assistance to the fishermen. A
move in the right direction would be the
appointment of wardens among the lobster
men themselves. There are plenty who
would do their duty fearlessly and faith
fully.
''Show the commissioner, says Mr.. Webb,
that the lobstermen are really in earnest
for mutual protection and he will doubtless
use his influence to establish a lobster
hatchery in that vicinity.'' The lobstermen
and one at Swans s1land, during the past
month, and more than 200 signed the follow
ing agreement:
I'VE, the undersigned, lobster fishermen
of Deer Isle, Isle au Haul. Swans island
and vicinity, feeling the necessity of taking
prompt and energetic measures for the pro-
lection of own business, that is yearly grow
ing poorer and poorer, and knowing by ex-
perience that the protection ~ provided
by our legislature is a farce as the law is
seldom enforced so that we must protect
ourselves or be driven from the business at
very early day.
Therefore. we hereby agree, each with
the other, on our honor as men, that we will
hberate all Holsters which we each may
catch, measuring less than ten and one
half inches in LENGTH
The signers of this hope it may result in
the next legislatures enacting law and
providing for its enforcement whereby 10
Holsters measuring less than 1913 inches
shall be taken at any time. Mr.. Webb con-
cludes by saying that it may look strange
for him, a packer, to advocate such meas
ures. but they have been his sentiments
for the past two or three years., and now
he is very glad to render the lobstermen all
the assistance in his power