Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-12-05
Prosecutions for Netting Sucker.

Eleven prosecutions for violations of
the inland fish and game laws have
been reported to the Commissioners
of Inland Fisheries and Game by
Chief Game Warden E. D. HARDWOOD
Of kennebec and Androscoggin coun-
ties. This is record of prosecutions
instigated in one week to say nothing
of one day by one warden. The parties
were prosecuted for taking suckers
by means of net in the Androscoggin
waters.
The law covering this point reads rs
follows: (Section 8 of Chapter 32 Of
the Revised Statutes, as amended by
Chapter 206 of the Public Laws Of
1879 Whoever fishes for, takes,
catches, kills or destroys any fish. with
fish spawn, or grapel, spear, trawl,
weir. gait with more than one prong,
seine, trap Cor set lines, except when
fishing through the ice, and then with
not more than five set lines to fam
lily in the fay time), or shall use any
dynamite or other explosive or poison
Gus or Supplying substance for the
purpose of destroying or taking fish,
or takes any kind Of fish with any
device, or in any other way than by
the ordinary mode of angling with
single baited hooks and lines, artificial
flies, artificial minnows. ARTIFICIAL in
sects, spoon hooks and spinners, so
called, shall pay fine Of not less
than 10 or more than $40 and costs
of prosecution for each offense, and
in addition thereto 81 for each fish
taken, caught, killed or had In pos
session in violation of any of the pro-
visions of this section; and when pro-
hibited implements. are found in use
or possession they are forfeit and
contraband, and any person finding
them in use may destroy them"
The parties paying fines and the
amount of their fines were: Willard
E. Curtis, $40 fine, costs and 81 for
each rs fish; Arthur A. Curtis, $50
fine, costs and 81 each for % Ash; Jo-
seph Avery, $50 fine, costs, and 81
each for SO fish, winfred Getchell, $50
fine, costs and 81 each for so Ash;
William Alexander $50 fine. costs and
81 each for so fish; c. Hackett, $50
fine and Sc for fish; Ludger Libby,
$40 fine. tThis man had not caught
any fish. simply had set his metz. Ed
ward B. Nickerson, $40 and S. for 5
fish; Guy U. Nickerson, $40 fine and
SIS for fish, Arthur L. Nickerson,
$40 fine and SIS for fish; George
Dell. $40 fine and SIS for fish.
The work of conducting this enforce
ment of fish and games laws was done
by Warden HARDWOOD, who performed
his duty in a thorough and yet in g.
law x,1x
personal enemies in so doing. The local
warden at the Auburn police depart
ment assisted him when desired
Those fish that are called suckers
in Maine are eaten for mullet and
mountain trout and Florida bloaters
in New York. Maine fishermen were
selling tons of these fish in the latter
cities.
The arrangement OF these men
brings realization of the magnitude
Of the industry. Beginning eight years
ago it seems, the industry has grown
until at present it is estimated that
, 40 or more were engaged in 1t along
the Androscoggin river. 1t has brought
into being a new type of men or bet
ter a different type of fishermen. The
inland seiner looks and acts a good
deal like his brother of the coast They
had made sucker netting their bust
ness and were doing well at it.
In fact one at once thought of the
coastwise fishermen when he viewed
the scene in the Auburn court room
Wednesday morning. There were the
brawny weatherbeaten men with their
rubber boots and REFERS.
These men, judging from the state
ment OF some Of their number. do not
consider that they are committing a