Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-02-04

nished the comforts of life to thous-
aads Of families in the time of need
worth protection when II protected
properly would furnish comfort and
happiness to nearly all the coast
dwellers o. this great commonwealth.
The year 1919 found the fishermen
awakening to the fact that protection
was necessary for the preservation of
the lobster business, and each sue
ceeding year has shown greater CO.
operation with the Commission
among the fishermen. A marked in
crease in the number of Holsters
caught as compared with previous
Years is in evidence. From April to
July 1921 the catch of Holsters along
the Maine Coast as compared with
that of the corresponding months in
1920 was pearly doubled. Do not
these figures show conclusively what
protection will do and still they were
not protected as much as they should
have been.
When each fisherman realizes that
he personally has a duty to perform.
that the future of the lobster industry
depends wholly on his doing all he
can to assist the Commission in the
enforcement of the laws and tn" pro-
lection of the Holsters to legal length
then will there be cooperation and
prot ,ctior indeed. Then, and then
only, brother fishermen, will you see
the Holsters return to our shores in
Increasing numbers. When that does
come to pass your income will double
and prosperity and happiness will
prevail.
If YOU have any information that
will help in the enforcement of the
laws. the protection and building of
HE industry, write the Director per-
aonally giving in detail such infor-
nation as you possess. After your
otter has been read and the infor-
nation recorded in book kept for
that purpose the original letter is
destroyed and all evidence as to
when or from what source the in
formation was received is gone for
ever.
In the past a great many have
seemed to think it didn't do any
farm to take n dozen small Holsters
home for their own consumption. AS
stated before If we are to protect the
industry we must all practice strict
economy and not tolerate waste and
destruction. The laws must BE
obcyed because it has been proven
that if the laws are strictly observed
Holsters viii increase. When you take
home a dozen Holsters even at the
/ price received by the fishermen to-
| day, ESQ your dinner will cost YOU
| $3.50 if they were allowed to grow
| TO the average size of a pound and
q half each. How many fishermen
are there who can afford the luxury
| wherein one article of their diet costs
| them S4.5o and often when Holsters
! are taken home they are worth
| double that price, soc per pound or
! $500 for a dinner. If the fishermen
/ would only think seriously about this
! great waste for a few moments it
! does not seem possible that one
! would indulge in such an expensive
! luxury. Look into the future do not
think wholly of the few dollars re-
/ ceivcd from todays catch. Realize
the thousands Of dollars you will take
! from the sea in the years to come
/ Consider the time when you are
! weather beaten and aged from hard
, work and exposure and are able to
flsh only half rs many traps as you
arc now fishing. Wouldn't it be very
/ encouraging if Holsters had increased
to the extent that you would take
! from the half number of traps you
! are fishing in your old age the same
! nrItl1lHr n 1ni,star a.,
Gouhle this number which You were
fishing i'll your prime? Would not
/ this increase be exceedingly crafty
ing to the Old gentlemen? 1t most
aSsuredly would. If we arc to realize
this great change we must begin to
/ protect the Holsters today. There is
no other way than through the me-
dunn of real protection practiccd by
! all.
When YOU think of the fishing in
: duStry OF Maine YOU want to realize
that it is one OF the largest and most
essential Industries in the Pine Tree
state for there is only one other
which compares favSrably with it. and
that one is agriculture. The fisher
/ men. and farmers furnish food for
the entire population of the State of
Maine and contribute large quantities
of food stuff to all the states in the
! Union and to all the world. Vast
quantities of our fish are shipped to
foreign countries. How little We
seem to realize what the loss would
be to the inhabitants if the fish were
cEtcrminated. Approximately 1900
i I, I,
mcnt and 10000 would be deprived of
the necessities of life beside the loss
of food to the consuming public
These are the problems we are asking
the people to consider today.
The fisheries mean something more
than just a business whereby a fish
srman can obtain living for him
self and family. This industry
means food for the people of the
world. The fishermen are body of
men producing the necessaries of life
and the food furnished Ly them i;
consumed in every state in the Union.
These men live in bleak and isolated
places along the coast or near the
mouths of the rivers and must brave
the fierce storms which sweep the
Atlantic, especially in winter. When
you go to the fish market to pur-
chas" Your dinner, little do you think
who provided that dinner 1t is one
Of these fishermen who furnishes the
most wholesome and delicious food
that is placed before YOU. They are
the mon also who furnish the lobster
considered by practically everyone to
be the king Of all the fish family"
1t has been stated by a writer that