The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1908-10-08
THE LOBSTER CROP GROWS.
Good Work of the Fish Commission en-
the Maine Coast.

Good Work of the Fish Commission en-
the Maine Coast.
The officers of the Government fish
commission steamer Cannot, give some
interesting information concerning the
work of lobster propagation this past
summer. At the United States Fish
Hatchery on Mckown's Point, Boothbay
Harbor, active operations have been sus-
pended, the past season having been pro-
ductive of excellent results, indicated by
the following summary:
In round numbers $50 million Holsters
and Is million cod eggs We're collected,
the former producing 140 million fry and
the latter 60 million, all of which were let
loose in carefully selected localities along
the Maine coast. The lobster eggs were
the fruits of $4,000 ''seeders," which
were purchased from the lobster dealers
in the summer and autumn of 1907, con-
fined and cared for in the government
pound at Pemaquid until last April when
they were removed, deprived of their
eggs at the hatchery, and the mother lob
sters given their liberty in the open sea.
The cod eggs We're obtained from the
meters" operating off Portland and
brought to the station by the steamer
Gannet.
AS may be seen, both the cod and lob
ster eggs were taken from. stock destin-
ed for the market and would have been
lost had not the Bureau Of Fisheries pur-
chased and propagated them.
The unusually mild winter and spring,
together with other favorable conditions,
made it possible to hatch a very large
percentage of the eggs, and to place in
the sea fry IF excellent quality.
The steamer Cannot, Capt. Greenleaf,
attended to the collection Of eggs, dis
tribution of fry, ETC., conducting the
same in an eminently satisfactory man
ner. In the busy season, however, he
was assisted by the State boat Sea Gull,
U. S. schooner Grampus and the Port
land steam smack Lorna, all of which
crafts rendered valuable services.
The bureau recently bought a lobster
pound at Pemaquid and the superintend-
ent of the station, with a force of men,
has been busily employed in improving
the property, rebuilding house for the
guardian Of the pound, and putting the
place in proper condition for future
work. An appropriation of $4,000 is
now available for the enlargement of the
lobster pound, and for the construction of
a wharf and coal house at the station,
which work it is hoped will early be
taken up.
Since August LIST some seven thousand
seed Holsters have been collected and de-
posted in the pound, and this stock will
help supply the eggs for Matching pur-
poses in the spring Of 1909.
DR.. E. P. Gorham of Brown Universe
ity, lobster expert, was again employ
ed at the hatchery the past season, con-
Quoting experiments in rearing through
fourth and fifth stages the little Holsters
in view to establishing large rearing
plant at the pound in the near future.
DR.. Gorham met good success in his ex-
periments, demonstrating beyond doubt
the feasibility of rearing lobster fry.
The lobster dealers, majority Of fisher
men, and the general public, are much
in, and regard this work
with favor. All of the officials of the bu-
reau of fisheries, including Sec. Strauss,
Conner and Bowers have been at and in
spected the station this summer and they
expressed much appreciation of the work
in the past years and were pleased with
the outlook for future operations.