Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1911-01-25
rHE HERRING INDUSTRY


| fAugusta special TO the Lesciston Journal
A new facto: Is appearing in the sardine
legislation this winter. 1t is the fisher
men along the coast. Not the men who
chase herring or capture them in weirs for
the sardine factories, but the men who
make living catching cod, paddock, bake
and Holsters. These men have q deep in
terest in the herring business; their catch
depends to a considerable extent upon it.
Oliver Bowley, OF swans island, q MEM
Der Of the legislature OF 1909, Is here in
their interests and is advocating . bait
bill. As yet, no bill has been drawn.
Mr.. Bowley is simply sounding members
Of the legislature, placing before them the
situation on the coast and the needs of the
fishermen, and ascertaining the sentiments
OF the legislators.
For some seasons past, according to Mr..
Bowley, the fishermen of the Maine coast
have had much difliculty in getting bait.
This they attribute to the sardine indus
try, for herring, such as the factories re-
quire, form an important part of the bait
used by all the fishermen. The men he
represents wish some Law which will en-
able them to get all the bait they require
for their purposes.
''fhe number Of persons who get live
lihood out OF the fishery industry, is much
larger than any Of the people not inti-
mately acquainted with it have any con-
ception Of" says he. "They number
thousands. Just one branch OF the in
dustry, the lobster fishery, supports, it is
estimated, 10000 persons, or q very consid-
cradle portion Of the entire population Of
Maine. That means something.
.'In addition TO those who live through
the catch of Holsters, there are other
thousands who depend upon the money
which comes in from the catching Of fresh
fish for the market. These all have to
have bait, and we want to make it possible
for them to secure it.
ssSome may not realize it," continued
Mr.. Bowley, s'but the lobster men need
the herring for bait just as much as do
the other fishermen.
'They take the herring after they have
been in pickle and then allowed to spoil,
SO that they have q strong odor and use
them to bait their traps or pots. The hsh
are stuffed into . small net, which is held
securely in place in the trap by q wooden
spindle. The smell Of the herring, it is
50 posed, attracts the HOLSTERS and leads
them into the trap. No other bait equals
the herring for this purpose. The value
OF it to the iobstermen can At once be
seen.
"Unless these men can get the herring
when they want them, they are up against
. serious proposition. That is why they
must have 4 bait Law which will make
them reasonably sure OF q constant sup
ply Of that necessity.
~Another fact, which is not, perhaps,
generally known, is that 80 per sent of
the fishing along the Maine coast is done
in open gasoline boats. These boats can't
go out in any weather, which sometimes
places the fisherman at Q disadvantage in
getting the bait he needs for his hooks or
traps. Something must be done about it
and we shall try to do it.
at is here that sardine men come in
The boats they use are built to go in any
and all kinds Of weather.
Auey ~ W I ue Wtifs Auu lie 1tOuySiue
them under any and ali conditions until
the catch is taken out. The rule is that
they are given their share OF the catch,
according to their arrival. 1t is case OF
first come, first served. II the first boat
there wants all the fish il gets it, il not, it
takes that part which its captain feels h.
can handle and leaves. Then the second
arrival is supplied, and so on until the en-
tire catch Of the weir has been disposed OF.
'sBeing able to go out under any and all
kinds of weather, when the isherman's
open boat frequently is Obliged TO stay in,
it often occurs that when the fisherman
does get there, 50 many OF the sardins
boats have been ahead OF him that he has
no show at all OF getting 4 Sufficient
amount OF herring for bait, and his bust
Ness, consequently, suffers seriously.
SNOW what we want is = law v hich will
give Us . preferences A Law which will
make it compulsory for the weirmen to
supply the fishermen with bait before