The Republican journal., 1915-04-22
The Fishing Laws.
What was Done in the Recent Session of
the Legislature.

| What was Done in the Recent Session of
the Legislature
! During practically the whole of the
session of the Maine Legislature Hon.
Luther Maddocks Of Boothbay was in
touch with the legislative doings and
most interested in the various fisheries
bills. He appeared at many hearings,
| and did much with the members of the
committee and other legislators. He
was perhaps most interested in the dog
fish bill, and the bill proposed by him
was enacted. while other bills were turn
ed down. Mr.. M addocks has had much
legislative experience. having gone be-
fore the legislature first in 1864 in the in
terests OF fisheries. He has attended
some part of nearly every session since.
| tie has served both IS Representative
and Senator. In recent talk with Mr..
| Maddocks the editor of the Boothbay
Register had hin summarize for the
readers OF his paper the fishing legisla-
ton as passed, as follows:
The lobster law passed through stormy
| seas. new law, providing double guage
| measurements, was before the legisla-
! ture and created great controversy, but
failed OF passage at the end, A new law
Tor licensing the lobster fishermen was
/ passed. 1t will probably not ever prove
a popular law. II is only another at
| tempt to pass laws to make men honest.
1t the lobster men break the old law
their licenses are forfeited for a year.
Ii they do business without a license
they are subject to fines and imprison-
ment.
| Another lobster law passed forbids the
wardens or others from breaking any
packages after they are shipped. This
is designed to save the fish packed in ice
! from exposure and possible damage.
But the shipper is tied hand and foot by
/ the law, for he cannot ship unless the
Holsters have first been inspected by
wardens. Here the shipper will have to
hold goods ready for shipment until the
warden can get around, inspect and seal
goods for shipment. There will have to
| be warden on every wharf to carry out
! these provisions to benefit the shipper.
! But the most important part, to my
mind, was the act authorizing the ap-
/. pOintment of a lobster commission to
ask the cooperation of other States and
Congress to unite upon uniform law
and possibly federal law for catching
Holsters. This matter, if properly
handled, would be a solution of all the
troubles now existing in the lobster bust
ness.
The rlvermen in the Sheepscot river
and tributaries are protected to the ex-
tent OF 1000 feet from their weirs. This
seems to be an equitable solution of the
, question on the Sheepscot river. All
| other parts of the river are open to the
purse and drag seiners.
J The cod net fishermen are allowed to
/ ShnonSo0f for LINZ
drawn from Hendricks Head to the
north line of the larger of the Five Is
lands. This will be a great advantage
to fishermen in the spring of the year,
when large fish visit our coast, at time
when bait is so scarce and high as to be
almost productive for the fishermen to
get bait for hooks and lines. All above
this line Is set apart for trawl-fshing.
! Last but not least is the much abused
dog-fsh. This species of fish seems to
be the greatest enemy to all food fish,
both great and small, and unless some
radical measure is taken to drive these
fish out of business, fishing will be prac-
tically destroyed, as these evolves of
the sea" during the summer months
make it almost impossible for fishermen
to catch along our coast. The act passed
looking towards the destruction of dog
fish, Is for the government and congress
to appoint dog-fish commission of three
practical men to solicit cooperation of
other seaboard States and take some &C.
ton ii, relation to asking Congress to
make an appropriation to finance the de-
struction of the dog fish by the creating
Of rendering plants along our coast from
Hatteras to Eastport, and further south
if necessary. They should have mil
lion of money and 10000 fishermen to
work during the summer months.
! With proper facilities dog-fish can be
made to pay the expenses of handling
them, but proper plants for the purpose
will cost SIS, 600 each and private indi-
viduals can hardly afford to take the
| chances. The fertilizer made would be
great advantage to the farmers Of the
country and should be sold at cost. The
oil has many advantages and uses. It is
! equal, if not better, than other fish oils.
Much denent1a IN vino are chosen nv the