Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-03-29

and we said that II that was what they
needed. that is what they should have.
: Now why. do they oppose our fisher
men catching nine-inch Holsters? 1t
has been said here that it would
rake Holsters cheaper If we have nine
| inch Holsters. l beg to differ. Today
you buy nine-inch Holsters If you find
| any fishermen dishonest enough to
| catch them for three dollars a dozen.
but when they are put on the same ba-
sis with other Holsters you have got
to pay so much pound for them. and
it seems to me that would have some
weight. Every man who sells the nine
inch lobster in York county now vio-
| 1ates the law the same as in any coun
~. We simply ask that he shall catch
a nine-inch lobster and come within the
law. There has not been a seed lob
ster put in York county waters for six
years. Not one Of the commissioners
came before the committee to oppose
this law. Way should the Legislature
oppose It, and I do not think It will
oppose this law for York county. York
| county has been very quiet and al
lowed every man to get what he should
ha &c in his county. either close time or
open time. and / think there is no
difference, and no reason why II should
not apply to this matter which so vi
tally concerns York county fishermen.
The SPEAKER: The question is
Mr. BOMAN Of Vinalhaven: MIR.
Speaker and members of the House: /
hope that the. 'inority report will be
| accepted. I'represent Knox county. l
was born and brought up in the town of
Vinalhaven and have known the ways
of fishermen 81 zee have come to years
Of understanding. IL have arrived at
that stage, and have seen and heard
them tell about the abuses of the lob
ster law. When the present form of
commission was instituted and the fish
ermen commenced to see what was for
their own good and try to protect the
lobster. they said that the laws were
the best they had ever had. and they
wish almost to man. to have the
mea suren1ent left entirely alone for the
entire State. The gentleman from
Eiddeford, Mr.. Goldthwaite, has said
that the clustering in York county has
been affected, it has been rather on the
increase for the last two years. But
all of the evidence at the hearings has
been that it is rarely case where they
| catch a ine-inch lobster or less than
ten-inch and ten and a half inch lob
| ster that is egg-bearing. If this Leg
| islature votes to pass q law where
been egg-bearing once where is the fu-
ture lobster coming from? I hope that
the members of this Legislature will
vote to sustain the ma jority report.
The SPEAKER: The question before
| the House is on the motion
Mr.. LORD of Wells: Mr.. Speaker
and fellow members: / should like to
go on record as favoring that York
| county be allowed the privilege of hav-
ing this nine-inch law. We have in
different counties and different locali-
ties different game and fish laws. In
certain streams we are allowed to take
SO many fish. in certain We are not al
lowed to hunt muskrats. in certain
counties we are allowed to Shoot one
deer and in certain counties two deer.
In the northern counties we allow
bounty on bobcats amounting to s12.-
900 q year. Now we do not question
in York county what the northern
counties need. We think in York coun-
ty that we need this nine-inch lobster
law. and we think it is only fair that
we be allowed to have it and try it out.
If it does not work well. we can ret
peal it. All our fishermen down there
pledge themselves to take no Holsters
under nine. inches If we allow them
, TO have this law, and know for fact
that they are catching Holsters less
than nine inches long to a certain eX-
tent; and if they will go on and not
take anything under nine inchcs-and
1 believe they will do this-I say let
them have this law and try it out. 1
believe in letting each locality in the
State decide for itself what is best for
it, and l do not want to try and tell
anybody in another section what they
shall do. and I would like to have them
give us the same privilege in our coun-
ty. Therefore. Mr.. Speaker. I hope
that the House will sustain the mi
nority report.
The balance of the House proceed
ings will be found in the Legislative