The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-02-07
STATE FISHERIES.
commissiener Ntekerssn Tells Abesf
the Lobster and Herring Business.

many people along the coast Of Maine.
The lobster fisheries Of the state. which
are recognised ~ one Of the leading Of sll
GLASSES OF fisheries. have been fairly good
for 1899. OF them Commissioners Nicker-
son says:
"This branch shows an Increased pro.
duction over that of 1875. According to
my report for that year there were caught
s, lis, 332. and In 1899, s.287. 500, showing
q gain In numbsr of SO. Iva. and . gain In
value over 1898 of sl6o. 2s7.co. The num-
Der Of men employed In '9S was 8. l03, In
30, 3.1l6. The average number Of Holsters
caught by each man engaged In rs was
1855. In '9y was 2,65s. The average yield
In dollars to each man In 'sS was ssos. In
90. 1856. The price paid the fishermen
has averaged for the esason about Is i-a
cents for each lobster"
The efforts Of the United States fish
commissioner. with the assistanos Of fish
ermen along the coast to stock tie coast
waters with Young Holsters. was dis
oussed by Mr.. Nickerson. Paintings have
now hesn made for three years running,
and It IL hoped to hear from the several
distributions, when the young lobstrss
have had time enough to become Of legal
length. The United States Commissioners
Matched and distributed In the waters
from Kittery to Passport 30, e25, COO young
lobstsrs. which. II thsy all mature and
are captured for consumption, win 70 .
long ways toward relieving the present
scarcity.
Referring to the wor Of the wardens
Mr.. Nicksrson said:
"Ths wardsns OF our stats have liber-
ated during the past season over nifty
thousand Illegal lobstsfs Osss than ten
and one half inches In length. Fines to
the amount Of fifteen HUNDRED dollars
have been paid to the stats treasurer to
the credits of this department during the
year.
"I oan say that the season of 1899 may
be considered as fairly good for the lob
ster fishermen"
Mr.. Nicksrsoa discussed other branches
of the fishing industry as follows:
"Ihe herring branch Of our fisheries
which gives smploym ent to about ssvsn
thousand persons for SVEN or mere
months In the year has fallen. eft In the
number of barrels caught IN 1893. Less
herring have been sold for bait and also
less mum Der have been smoked. and less
have been packed for sardines than last
season. The sardins packers must have
nc aie fair season as the price for their
prod uctlon has been In advance Of 10.
According to reports. new factories are to
be built for cnother season In Washing
ton, Hancock and Lincoln counties.
Total catch of herring In round num-
here In 1899, 44S, 900 barrels; in 1898, no.
600.
Number Of boxes smoked In 1899, H.
GAG. OO0; In 1893, 1851. GOO.
Number Of cases sardinss packed in
1899, LILO. 5ds; in 1888. l,i7s,6e4.
From what Information l can get al
most one million dollars have been paid
for labor BY the packers Of sardines in
our state during the season OF 1899. Tbs
herring industry 10 surely one well worth
cherishinR.
"Nenhaden failed to put In m appear
amos upon our coast during the summer
OF 1899. The American Fisheries COM
pany, which owns and operates all the
factories In our state put their plants In
order. employing about sixty men for q
month. and also had several or their
steamers patrolling our coast to report
the first sign Of the appearance Of fish,
but after o thorough examination and
search, they closed the factories and or
dered their boats to southern wstars.
where they caught menhadsn In great
numbers.
sDnring the season OF 1928 our state re.
ceived Sl05,00,. for labor from this
branch Of fishing, beside all moneys left
with Us for sundry other thinga during
the season.
"Ciams show falling Oh In the pro-
duotion. owing somewhat to the enact
ment Of the law BY our last Legislature,
which, from June I. to September 10.
stopped their expectation from our state
I'm 1898, there were caught In the state
By 1895 men, l,156 1854 pounds Of snslts,
while In 1892 there were caught by $50
men sS0, LOG pounds, thus there 10 falling
evsr. tbs average catoh to each man 10
better In 1899 than In 1898.
"U ndsr the head Of ground fish are In
oluded cod. paddock, bake, tusK, pollock.
halibut, founders and ssls In 1608 the
total catch was 81. e62. 619 pounds; In 1869,
81. 500. 20i pounds. The value Of ths saMe
In 1893 was $c6o. 2TI; In 1soQt -et8x, o3o.-- .
"Macksrsl on oar Maine coast showed
falling on In quantity caught. but an In.
orsass In roturas 70 our fshsrmsn. Aass.
aohusssss rsosiysd ths benefit II the
schools which visited hsr shores lnts In
the season, and her fishermen made good
catches 1t rem lucrative prices.
'sThs caash Of aisWivss sAoWs . slight
falling Oh In numbsr caught from 'ps,
but prices have bes1 nstls In advance Of
last season, therefore 10 has lsft good
margin.
"fhs shsd fiahsry shows decrease fron
1898 Of about one fonrth In the number Of
pounds taken. ~ wall a. the valus.
1.-The catch Of salmon the past season
amounted to 3.5t1 In number, agsregat-
Ing "a. 206 pounds and amounting IN val
Ne TO $40. 4f6 90. In 'o6 tAsre we're taken
IS. 500 pounds, valesd Mt te5C0."
THE SHORE yISAERIES.
st. Johcs, February 6.-Frem the
character of the dsspasehss between 6rsas
Bri tain, France and New Foandlapd. 70
10 clear that the ofisr Of Nswfeund-
land IN x~n.vr = sa1ua vtvavSAv e.urs.NS.