The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1909-05-27
Goldfish and HOLSTERS.
What the National Government Is Doing
in the Way of Stocking Maine Waters.


in the Way of Stocking Maine Waters.
The national government is going good
work in stocking the waters off the
Maine coast, and recently the fish COM
mission steamer Gannett, formerly the
palatial steam yacht Carita, owned by
the late A. H. Davenport of Boston,
took 100000 cod eggs to the hatchery
at Boothbay Harbor.
These eggs are placed in the govern
ment hatchery and cared for scientifical-
ly. When they have developed to suf-
tlcient size to allow of taking care of
themselves they are liberated off the
coast at different places and allowed to
grow. This is the system that has pre-
vailed for number of years, and has
proved to be of great value. While
thousands of Goldfish and other kinds are
being brought into port every day, the
supply in no way diminishes, and each
time the travis are taken in they are
found to contain hundreds of squirming
fish.
- The government has spent thousands
of dollars upon the station at Boothday
Harbor and has succeeded in interesting
the fishermen in the work. At one time
all the fish found in the travis were
taken into port and sold, but after the
men became acquainted with the work
which was being done by officials of the
government they decided to act in har-
mony with them.
Thereafter whenever fish was found
spawning it was set aside and reserved
for the fish commission steamers which
visit them at the grounds every time
they are in the vicinity. In this way the
government has been able to keep the
fish from becoming extinct, and it is be-
lieved now that there are more fish off
the coast than ever before. Had it not
been for the government it is extremely
probable that a number of the different
species would have died out.
1t is not an uncommon occurrence for
the members of the crew of the Gannett
to take on board more than a million
eggs in less than half an hour. One day
last week the Gannett arrived at the
station with 100000 eggs which were
delivered to the officials there. The next
day another l,OOO,0 900 eggs were gather
ed, and while the operation of getting
them was less than half an hour consider
able time was consumed in putting them
into the proper compartments in the bot
tom of the boat in which they belonged.
The compartments are constructed so
they are swept by the water of the
ocean as the steamer slips over it. In
this way the eggs are preserved, and
when they are delivered at the hatchery
they are in the finest possible condition
and are treated so scientifically that
large proportion of them will develop.
At this season of the year the steamer
is picking up large amount of cod eggs,
but is not neglecting the lobster. Plenty
of seed Holsters are being secured, and
are treated in the same manner as the
cod eggs. Thousands of Holsters have
been taken to the hatchery, and when
they are of a size large enough to allow
them to combat the fish which would |
destroy them, they are also liberated.
In this way the supply of Holsters is
continued, and the business, which was |
now firmly established despite the fact |
that there We're almost $4,000 Holsters
received at the port of Portland alone
one day recently. During last summer
it was estimated that more than 10O 900 |
were imprisoned in the various pounds
and smacks along the coast.
The lobster men are also anxious to |
cooperate with the government and
they have been brought to realization
OF the fact that the work that the gov
eminent is doing has been prolific of re-
suits which are, and will be, Of great
benefit to them.
Capt. George Greenleaf of the steamer
Gannett has been long in service and is
well acquainted with the denizens of the
salt water. Capt. Greeneaf, in speaking
of the cod, says they are a savage fish
and will attack anything. 1t is said that
there are cases on record where large
cod have engaged in battles with divers
and it required hard work to drive them
away. Fishermen have reported to him
that the cod are fond of herring and that
when an effort is made to secure the
large cod good-sized herring are thrown
overheard.
them and it is interesting to watch the
fish. The cod will vancouver around
the herring and will not attack them I'M
til the head Of the herring is directly in
front of it. When this occurs one single
gulp and the herring disappears.
A short time ago a seed cod was re-
ceived on board the Gannett which
weighed rs pounds. Not many spawns
were received from it and the men We're
surprised. Finally it was decided to cut
the fish open and the men were surprised,
for inside was found a full sized coot
which had not been damaged in the least.
The only noticeable thing about it was
| the fact that the feathers at the throat
We're slightly mussed US. 1t had not
been chewed, but had been swallowed
whole without apparent effort 1t is be-
lieved that the bird was flying over the
water and had descended for some rea-
son or other so that he came within the
reach of the big jaws of the cod. Shoot
ing through the water he made slight
jump and succeeded in getting the quarry
sought.
Capt. Greenleaf also tells of taking
nine-inch lobster from another cod which
had been received on board the Gannett.
Cases without number of finding smaller
Holsters within cod are told. He says
that the fish is one of the most peculiar
found in the water, and is fully capable
of taking care of itself, whatever the oc-
currence of affairs.
That the work being done by the gov
eminent is proving successful is evil
denced by the large quantities of fish and
Holsters that are being received. All the
fishermen are bringing in good fares and
during the early part of the winter over
100000 Holsters were imprisoned in the
various pounds maintained in one Maine
city alone.