Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-12-28
HIGH PRICES FOR HOLSTERS.
Makes Less Profit for Pnckers-Scarc-
ity of the Crustnccans.

Halifax e. s. Correspondence Boston Transcript.
The past season has been one of consd-
cradle anxiety to Nova Scotian lobster
packers and dealers. The price to fishermen
has been high. too high for much profit to
the packer. and higher, many dealers think,
than a normal state of trade will allow.
The men who catch the lobsters-and there
are some 5000 engaged In this business In
our provlnce-are the ones who make the
most profit out of the industry. The pack
ers pay the fishermen for each lobster
caught. in most cases cash on delivery.
The competition among the packers has
run this price up until today 1t is felt that
the limit has been reached
The scarcity Of the Holsters on the other
hand makes the business no more remuner-
ative to the fishermen than 1t was few
years ago when he was content to sell his
catch for about one-third the price that
now prevails. For some years there has
been a gradual decline in the quantity Of
Holsters caught, followed by correspond
ing increase in price. This has gone on
until the selling price of the product on the
European market has advanced, and the
toothsome lobster has become a luxury to
be found only upon the tables of the few.
Dealers assert that any further increase of
price is not to be expected, to advance
again the selling price would simply be
killing the goose that lays the golden egg.
The year just closing compares vorably
with 1880 in he quantity of Holsters taken.
The pack has been at least 5000 900.
worth probably Sl,oO00oo The bulk OF
this is handled by Halifax dealers. A
number of new canneries were started
this season, WithsJandng the generally
accepted fact of the depletion of the fisher
les. So long piece of coast can be
found on which TO erect another canning
factory some one will be found ready to
make a fortune or sink The shipment
of live HOLSTERS TO the American market
has been quite brisk and today the value
of these exceed the value Of the canned ar
ticle by over $500, 900 Yarmouth has be-
come an important center of the shipping
trade Of live Holsters. The chief market is
Boston. which fixes the prices The canned
Holsters, on the other hand, are nearly all
shipped to London, and thence distributed
over the whole continent. The estimated
shipment Of live Nova Scotia Holsters is
326,3l:; hundred weight. valued at 81. 100, 900.
The total looSter pack in the province of
Nova Scotia fer the season of 1900 was
worth about 81 10000.
One of the leading shippers of Halifax
said yesterday that rigid measures are
needed to preserve this important industry
from further depletion. Notwithstanding
the heavy penalties, the closed season Is
often invaded at many points with impu-
nifty. Interested and female Holsters are
trapped in violation of the regulations, the
packer being so anxious to get the crusta-
ceans TO keep his establishment employed
that he seldom gives the guilty fishermen
away. On the southern coast the packers
themselves have formed an association for
the protection of the lobster, and this move
ment Will probably be initiated elsewhere.