Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-03-27
Plan to Aid Lobster Fish
ermen About License

Oscar H. Dunbar of Augusta, the
commissioner of sea and shore fish
cries. has promulgated among his
wardens a ruling whichswin greatly in
terest the lobster fishermen as it will
relieve them of much Of the present
hardship in connection with the re-
newal of lobster licenses
Under the lobster license law. which
in it's present form requires the MAX
ing of application to the department
on a blank furnished by the depart
ment, former Commissioner of Sea and
Shore Fisheries Henry D. S, Woodbury.
of South Portland ruled that the APP
nlication must be sworn to, this pro-
vision being made in order that there
might be no Misrepresentation as to
the names of the parties taking out IL
censes.
This ruling of Former Commissioner
Woodbury. has remained in force, al
though there is no provision in the law
requiring the oath to be taken oe1ore
the Justice of the peace. In great
many instances it is great neon
yenience to a fisherman to go before
justice of the peace and Commissioner
Dunbar has decided in the case OF re-
neWalS TO ylelO d PoAhI AoA way
of the fishermen.
Commissioner Dunbar accordingly
has ruled and instructed his wardens
to so hold that where fisherman has
once taken out his license and there is
record of the same in the office, that
for renewal Of license the fisherman
need only fill out an application and
sign it and send it with the requisite
| fee to the department offices at Au-
gusta.
| While the fee for going before JUS
| tice is only 25 cents it frequently
means to the fisherman If he lives IN
remote island or plantation the loss
! of an entire day. The purposes or the
lobster license law is to keep record
of the fishermen engaged in the lobster
business and Commissioner Dunbar
feels that the purpose is observed
where the oath is taken before a JUS
tice in connection with the original IL
cense and that where fisherman mas
once made application to the depart
ment the renewal need not require the
taking of an oath a second time before
a Justice of the peace.
/ 1t is very probable that this ruling
! will be provided for by statute within
the near future. Although the original
law. as has already been stated. makes
no provision fer the oath before JUS
tice of the peace, in order that ruling
requiring the oath for renewal as well
as for the initial application may not
again be made by some other commits
s1oner, Commissioner Dunbar adVocat-
cd before the sea and shore fisheries
committee early in the present session
the enactment Of a law which should
specifically state that the taking of an
oath before Il justice of the peace is
not required in connection with the
renewal of a lobster license. and that
even the formal application can be dis
pensed with, the license simply being
renewed by notifying the department
and sending in the required fec of 81.
This piece of legislation has been re-
ported upon favorably by the commit
tee on sea and shore fisheries and is on
it's way to passage.
Commissioner of Sea and Shore
Fisheries Oscar Fl. Dunbar has re-
ceivod word from Warden w. \. ltick-
err Of Saco OF the seizure of IA Illegal
Holsters at Hennebunkport. The case
was settled by the payment of fine
OF S14.