Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-03-21
Hear Lobster Bills

| LoDStefS from Nova Scotia are
much more prolific than those caught
along the Maine coast. Charles Fl.
Beal of Jonesport told the sea and
shore fisheries committee Tuesday
| afternoon. The committee was hear
ing a bill which would eliminate from
the law relating to the purchase of
Holsters with eggs attached the
words. caught in the waters of this
! State"
but one per cent of the Holsters
caught on the Maine coast spawn,
while at least 16 per cent of those
| caught in Nova Scotia waters
| spawn" Sait. Capt. Beal. THE fur
| Their east you go the more prolific are
the seed Holsters and | have seen at
least 80 per cent of Holsters caught
around Cape Breton bearing eggs,
and nine-inch Holsters with spawn"
Clyde w. Pierce of the, Willard
| Daggett Company of Portland favor
ed the bill and declared that if the
State spent what it should for seed
Holsters, I'VE would have a $780,
10000 industry instead of a S3,000,-
| 600 or 100000 industry"
| Horatio d. erie of Rockland. di-
rector of Sea and Shore Fisheries,
| insited that when n lobster had been
kept four months in n pound in Maine
! it should have acquired residence
| here.
Representative Boman brought out
that the provisions of the law that the
| fisherman should be paid Is per cent
above the market price for the seed
Holsters was optional and not obliga-
tory. Director erie said that the de-
partment had never had the money
to pay the extra price. Mr.. Pierce
said that the dealers would be salts
fed with receiving the market price.
| Director erie appeared for special
resolve of 1851 to make up for the
deficit for the purchase of seed lob
sters for 1872. He explained that these
Holsters were bought by the depart
ment in good faith before the stop
order came from the Governor and
Council. Mr.. erie also appeared for
an appropriation of $4,000 for u new
engine for the lobster patrol boat,
Pauline.
| Much opposition developed to the
bill introduced by Senator Emery of
| Washington, a member of the COM
.nittee, which allows upland owners,
when given permission by the select
men or municipal officers to cultivate
80 per cent of their clam flats. Mr..
Pierce and Representative Gold
thwaite of the committee insisted
that the 25 per cent provided by the
old law was ample.
| Senator Emery suggested that
while the present law allowed the
selectmen to grant the upland own
ers rights protection was not given in
those rights.
Representative Goldthwaite OBJ
| jected that an upland owner might
"let the flats die out"
Mr.. Pierce said that clans grew
best when the flats were dug over.
"All of the Scarboro flats have been
dug over SO times and there are
always plenty of clans" Mr.. Pierce's
statement that he had seen clans
grown between Memorial Day and
Labor Day from an inch to six inches
was questioned by Representative
Hobbs of Hope, who asked: Didn't
the clans move from one place to
another? 1t doesn't seem as if they
could have been the same clans. I've
seen fresh water clans move about
and make tracks through the mud"
Eighty per cent is altogether too
high percentage for the upland
owner to be allowed to cultivate"
objected Mr.. Pierce.
THE so per cent provision would