Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-02-18

The Journal presents below report of
the important hearing before the commit
tee on shore fisheries, Thursday evening,
which, owing to the heavy pressure upon
our columns, was necessarily crowded out
of our issue of yesterday morning. IL IS
in regard to the petition TO prevent sem
ing in Saco bay, and incidentally on the
petition to prohibit the taking of mack
erel and porgies in PenObscot bay and its
tributaries. 1t involves one of the most
knotty points that the committee have 10
act upon, as the petitioners number about
500 people, while the remonstrants number
nearly 1000. The two different sets of peti-
lions were supposed to be heard at dit
ferent times but as each was with the
same end in view. that of driving off the
porgy fishermen from the waters, they
gradually drifted into one hearing.
The remonstrants. who represent the
mackerel and menhaden fishers Of the
State, were ably represented by Charles
True, Esq, of Portland, who had porSy
steamer captains, seashore merchants,
and men representing all the industries
incident to the business to show the com.
mittee what the menhaden business OF
the State means in dollars and cents,
even though the products are somewhat
ton with Japan. 1t may be well at the
start to say that Commissioner Nicker-
son says there is Klondike in this bust
ness for the State and he does not advise
that in 1898 there were S69. men on q
steamers engaged in securing the fish,
both for the factory and for bait. In the
factories. all of which are in Lincoln
county, 100 days employment was given
and the output was estimated at $l05,W '
George II. Hussey of Biddeford Pool
spoke in favor of the Saco bay petition
claiming that the porgy fishing was det ra
sentatives Grindle and Hill of Waldo
county, were in the interests of the
Penobscot bay petition. Their contention
is the same as that of Mr.. Hussey, though
tI,aI-
a law on Penobscot bay was placed there
by the Legislatu prohibiting the sem
ing where from land to land the distance
was less than three miles. The islands
made it so that the entire bay was
closed.
In 1897 when the laws were revised by
the special commission, they changed the
PenobscOt law so that it reads less than
three miles from headland to headland.
thus giving an entirely different light
and throwing the main part of the bay
open What the petitioners now want is
the old law. The remonstrants claim that
If the law is placed on these two bays
there will be more want the same thing
and gradually it will drive the menhaden
The main argument besides that of At
torney True against any legislation,
was made by Hon. Luther NAL
docks of Boothbay Harbor, an owner
| of fishing interests and an eX-member of
the Legislature. Herewith are few of
the points of his remarks:
! These fish for which the modern devices
| for catching are asked prohibited. are the
mackerel, herring, shad and menhadcn.
The last three are of that class which do
not bite the hook and can only be caught
| by the use of seines. traps or nets. Gill
netting Is impracticable in warm weather.
The only known way that the fish in any
quantity can be captured is by scines.
traps or wers Craps. and weirs are built
on the same principle only constructed
of different materiaD.
TO be deprived of the purse seine would
destroy the mackerel industry, when they
will be in the near future, Judging from
the enormous quantity of small mackerel
The herring, which stand at the head
of the column Of all other fisheries com
mackerci. It's uses are far greater from
the fact tina, the sardine business is en-
tirely dependent upon the small fish.
mis- branch of the herring fishery alone
employs 5000 men, and 3 ioooeo is annu-
ana girls. To DISCONTINUE the use OF
purse seines would cripple this industry