The Republican journal., 1903-10-08
TO SAVE THE LOBSTER.
Plans Proposed at a recent Conference II
BOatOn.

|
Plans Proposed at q recent Conference in
Boston.
The lobster problem is hard one to
solve. The Maine law now protects the
small Holsters, but many of those engaged
in the business say that the law should be
reversed that is, protect the large Holsters.
| But if the small Holsters are caught, where
are the large ones to come from? Then
while some will tell you that the lobster
must soon become extinct, others say that
there is no falling off in the supply, the
scarcity resulting from an increasing de-
mand. The question of protection for the
propagation of Holsters as food was under
consideration in Boston the past week by
| fish and game commissioners from all the
States along the Atlantic coast and from
the British Provinces. The last Massa-
chusetts legislature passed resolve de-
signed to further protect the lobster, and
those interested desired that the laws pass
ed, if any, should agree as far as possible
with those of other New England States.
and if possible with Canada. Hence this
conference, in which Maine was represent
ed by A. R. NickersOn of Boothbay, COM
missioner of sea and shore fisheries. At
the opening session j. W. Collins, chair
man of the Massachusetts fish and game
commission, said that nothing effective had
been done in that State to save the lobster
from extinction. Mr.. Root of Rhode Island
told what his State had been doing the past
three years in the way of experimenting on
| , io1 40
had grown Holsters in the laboratory which
| seemed to thrive. Some of them had -four
ished and grown to a size of seven inches
before being liberated. Most of those artl-
ficially reared had been let go to sea when
| they were four and five inches long. More
than ], 200, 900 Holsters had been successful
| ly raised in that way this year. Mr.. Kelley,
| deputy of the Rhode Island commission,
| said that thousands of pounds OF short lob
sters had come from Massachusetts into
| Rhode Island this year. Some OF these
were seized and thrown overheard. He be-
| lieved in holding all egg-bearing Holsters
ready to deposit their eggs. they have
| close time in Holsters in Rhode Island and
that State is the only one in New England
| that has a close season.
| At the afternoon session the Canadian
commissioner told how the industry was
conducted in the waters of the bay OF Fun,
| DIV, in the Prince Edward Island waters and
| other parts of the dominion. There are
close times in these places of about SIX
months. Most of the close seasons begin
! in June, but in one or two districts the
open season extends into July and August.
The waters are we'll polced and the ar
| rangements are such with the canning 1ac-
tores-all of the SO in the dominion being
| lcensed-that egg bearing Holsters are saved
| and kept in pounds until the close season
sets in. when they are put back INTO the sea
| to spawn, The system has proved to be eX-
| cellent, and the average catch OF lobsters
| las been on the increase for many years.
/ Protection in Canada began in 1874, when
the first close season, comprising the months
of July and August, become operative.
| Were it not for the protection the cannerles
| could not remain in business.
The Maine system, as eXpOunded by COM
missioner Nickerson, is similar, only that
there is no close time. The Maine law pro-
vdes for buying of the lobster men all egg
bearing Holsters taken in their traps. They
are paid more than the market price, which
makes an incentive for them to keep the
egg bearers for the State. These Holsters
are marked by punching holes through
their tails and returned to the water Some
times fishermen catch them again and cash
in, but this does not often occur. Names
lobster fisheries have been improving, but
the 2100 miles of coast line is difficult to
patrol effectively and there is an immense
amount of short lobster taking for the Bos-
ton and New York markets.
DR.. George W. Field of the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology, who has made
scientific study of the lobster, thought it
would be good plan to perpetually protect
all Holsters over II inches in length. This
would keep up the supply of egg-bearers
and egg-fertilizers, and they, in turn, would
provide the market with Holsters from the
| 81, I'll of hla n inahaC
He suggested a system of traps with inets
too small for the larger Holsters to enter,
and thought the system could be protected
by licensing lobstermen. This plan met
with opposition, and the debate went over
to the next day.
The final outcome was the appointment
of a committee consisting of Capt. Collins,
chairman. A. r. Nckerson of Maine, Z.
Hart Greer of Connecticut, b. +. Woods OF
New York, W. Ii. Boardman of Rhode
Island, made the following recommenda-
tions:
First-We recommend that a law be en-
acted to limit lobster catching to men hav-
ing permits from the State; that the penalty
for catching Holsters without permit shall
not be less than 500; and that person
convicted of violating the laws for the pro-
lection of Holsters shall have his permit re-
voked and that no other shall be issued to
him for year thereafter.
Second-The committee recommend that
it is our desire, if possible, to have uniform,
OR nearly uniform, laws for the protection
of the lobster in the New England States,
and New York more especially, so far as
the legalized length of the lobster is coll
cerned.
Third-Your committee further recon-
mends the general adoption of the law re-
lating to lobster meat now enacted in the
statutes of Maine. The Maine law referred
to prohibits the sale of lobster meat except !
when contained in the shell, and is a safe
guard against the sale of shorts.
These three recommendations were adop-
ted. In regard to the second recommenda-
tion the committee did not agree upon
proper minimum length.
The plan of Dr. Field for the compulsory
construction of a special lobster pot, hav-
iEg four-inch orifice, perpetual close time
on all Holsters over II inches and the right
to catch Holsters between eight and IL
inches, came up for discussion. His
recommendation will be mailed to the State
boards, who will send their views on the
matter to DR.. Field.
The meeting adjourned subject to the call
of the chair.
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