Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-03-16
SEA AND SHORE FISHERIES
Two Acts for AboIishing Office of Sea
and Shore Fisheries Commissioner

hearings on w acts to abolish the
office of commissioner Of sea and shore
esheries and create a commission to
candle the business of the department
we're held before the committee on
sai and shore fisheries Thursday aft
ernoon. one act, introduced by Rep.
\faxter cf Portland, makes a commits
yson Of three members, while the bill
7 presented by Rep. Quincy of Port
land creates a commission Of five men,
Ier1.
Merritt 4 Johnson, a Rockland at
torrey. spoke for the bill to create a
commission OF three members. He said
that the people of the State don't have
The proper comprehension of the sea
and shore fisheries and something must
10 done and he done at once or the in
Gustr.es are gone. After an experience
" a good many years in prosecuting
and defending violators of the fisheries
laws he had come to the conclusion
that no one man., no matter how COM
uetent he may be. car do one-tenth of
the work required of him.
And he commissioners of sea and
shore fisheries is required to handle
the work of this department on $40. 900
a year" said Mr.. Johnson, land he
can't do it. l am working for the pure
and simple interests of the State. One
seventh Of the population of Maine is
dependent upon the sea and shore fish,
cries for a livelihood and the business
is going to decay through negligence.
One man hasn't the time to look after
these various fisheries. You can chase
a man on land when he shoots a deer
in close season. but when you chase
him on the water hat is a different
proposition.
Attorney johnson explained that the
bill provides for a salary of $500 per
annum for the chairman and $4,000 a
year for the other two commissioners
and $500 a year for the clerk. One of
me commissioners will be appointed for
" term or two years, another for four
Years and the third for six years.
And this bill provides that the COM
m~issioners of sea and shore fisheries shall
have an Office in the State House." said
Attorney johnson, 80 that if anyone
hunts for the department he will find It
somewhere else besides under the COM
missioner's hat"
Attorney Johnson did not believe in the
other bill which provides for an unpaid
commission of five members.
III you don't pay the commissioners"
declared Attorney Johnson, there Is a
possibility that there will be graft, and
the commissioners would be apt to ger
something out of 1t anyway. l believe
in getting the men for the positions as
commissioners who are suitable for the
work"
Are you doing this work. appearing
before this committee. as a labor of
love- asked Senator Wood Of Hancock,
a member OF the committee.
Just for the love of it," Just as sure
as | stand here" replied Attorney John
son. Someone asked me If / wanted a
position on the new commission, and
said that l did not want one"
How many deputy commissioners do
you him Mr.. Johnson, would it take to
enforce the laws and enforce them eff
ciently?" asked Rep. Hartman of Stoning-
ton. a membe of the committee.
The first thing that / would do" re-
piled Mr.. Johnson. would be to attempt
to round up a bunch of notorious viola.
tors Of the fisheries laws and that would
stop others from breaking the law
What's the occasion of having the
emergency clause attached to this bill?"
asked Rep. Boman of Vinalhaven.
With the fun belief that if anything
is done 1t should be done right OFF," re-
piled Mr.. Johnson.
Mr.. johnson further said that the pres
ent commissioner of sea and shore fisher
les. Oscar II. Dunbar. was a good man
and he would like to see him as a MEM
Der Of the commission.
Il believe that men shodld be selected
for this commission who know the bust
ness but are not in the fisheries business
said Mr.. Johnson.
Ex-Representative Lauren NJ. Sanborn
Of South Portland said that he thought
the change to the commission way OF
handling this department would be a
good thing for the State and all con-
Cerned. He did not intend to criticize the
commissioner but to criticize the system.
The magnitude of the fisheries warrants
making a change.