Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-01-28
STATE HOUSE.,
Annual Report Of Fish
Commissioner Donohue.
BIunt's Pond in Hancock County
Closed 10 Fishing.
Keystone. investment Go. Decreases
Amount Of Capita! Stock.
STATE HOUSE CALENDAR.
Next Meeting Of Governor and Coun-
Gil Tuesday, Jan. %, at 10 A. M.

The first annual report of Hon. James
Donohue of Rockland, commissioner of
sea and shore fisheries, which is a
very interesting document, shows that
during the year 1907, 10000 more lob
sters were caught than during the pre-
ceding year. the increase being
was s36i,S16 more than in the pre-
ceding year, the price increase being
due to the high price which the fisher
men received. The report further says:
THE lobster fishery is the most i'm
portant branch Of the sea and shore
fisheries and in which there are a
greater number of violations of Jaw,
ia 1907, the past year. there were
caught in the waters of the State
S,69S, 671 legal Holsters the value Of which
was 5000, 4G2. This number as re-
turned by the wardens to my office
shows an increase over the preceding
year of 1879 Holsters, with an in
crease i'll valuation Of $36i,S15.
'The number OF small Holsters seized
and liberated by the wardens in the
past year is 1887 and the number of
persons held for the violation of the
lobster law is As. l wish to state right
here that more than IS per cent. of the
violations OF the lobster law were
in the counties of Sagadahoc Cum
berland and York, the counties in
which there were until very re-
Gently no lobster fshermen'S protec-
tive unions. | am happy to say that
branches have been and are now being
formed in these counties. and if they
are as effective in helping to protect
the small Holsters as their brothers
have been i'll other counties, the num-
Der seized and liberated by the wardens
in 1903 will be very much less than
those reported for 1907.
II believe that the lobster fishermen
of the State now realize that it is their
duty and their only hope of preserving
the lobster industry 10 aid and assist
the wardens in allowing the small lob
sters to remain in their natural element
until they are Of sufficient size to be
of value, and also in their earnest ef-
fort to protect the seed lobster.
only few years ago the wardens
of this department were hated and
despiscd by the lobster fishermen, who
did everything they could to handica p
and hinder the wardens in the per-
torrance of their duty, but today that
condition is entirely changed and there
are4'at present moro than 1890 lobster
fishermen on this coast who are aiding
and assisting the wardens in every
way in their power to protect the small
and seed Holsters. l hope within the
next year TO see that number increased
to at least 300 as branches are being
formed for this purpose the entire
length Of the coast.
Il believe it is the duty of every
warden of this department to aid and
encourage the formation of unions for
the protection of the lobster industry.
There no doubt will always be some
INSCRIPTIONS persons who will not
hesitate to violate the laws regardless
of the effect it may have upon the
fisheries, but with Il good, hearty CO.
operation between the fishermen in
general and wardens of this depart
ment it viii be a very unpleasant bust
ness for the handlers of short Holsters.
"In round numbers $1,000 short lob
sters We're seized and liberated by the
wardens within the past year II is safe
to say that this number does not repre-
sent one in % of the number of small
Holsters that were illegally used. On
that basis. it means that approximately
100000 of short Holsters were destroy
ed on this coast in the past year. Es-
ttnatinS that at price of four cents
each, as that would be fair average
for the price that the small Holsters
were sold for. it would amount to $40
90; whereas if they were allowed to re-
main in the water for. say one year,
al which time they would have attained
the legal size, they would he worth
$3.50 900. which shows loss of $4,000
to the lobster fishermen i'll this state
during the past year. These are cold
facts and cannot be disputed; and l
am glad that the time has arrived when
the lobster fishermen realize what they
are doing to their own business when
they refuse or neglect t. liberate the
small lobster and allow it to grow to
market size and value.
The laws of this State governing thIs
industry I believe are superior to SINH
lar laws in any other States or III Nova