THE LOBSTER FISHERY. 725 



"We are also unable to indorse the other recommendation which has been made to us, viz, 

 that the sale of berried lobsters should bo prohibited. In the first place, if it were illegal to take 

 berried lobsters, it would not pay the fishermen in many cases to pursue the lobster fishery. In 

 the next place, the lobster when berried is in the very best possible condition for food, and it 

 would be as illogical, therefore, to prohibit its capture as to prohibit the taking of full herrings. 

 In the third place, if its capture were illegal, Mr. ScovelFs evidence at Hamble shows that the 

 fishermen would probably remove the berries. * * * 



" We recommend, therefore, the institution of a gauge as the only remedy universally appli- 

 cable for the improvement of our lobster fisheries." 



OPINIONS OF THE FISHERMEN AND OTHERS RESPECTING PROTECTIVE LAWS. 



INTRODUCTION. In the circulars sent out respecting the lobster fishery, and in personal 

 interviews on the subject, the opinion of each person was asked as to whether he was satisfied 

 with the existing laws, and if not, in what manner he would desire to have them changed. Com- 

 paratively few replies were obtained, and these may not be regarded as of much value; but it has 

 been thought best to insert them here. The names of most of the correspondents have been 

 omitted, and with reference to a few localities the opinions as here stated are drawn up from the 

 statements of several individuals. 



Three classes of individuals are interested in the lobster fishery on the coast of Maine the 

 fishermeu, the fresh-lobster dealers, and the canners and each regarding the fishery from a some- 

 what different standpoint, according to individual interests, it is not strange that opinions as to 

 the present and future needs of this industry should be somewhat at variance. It is the fisher- 

 men's interest to make as large captures and sales as possible; the fresh dealers cater to a trade 

 that demands only lobsters above a certain size (about 10J or 11 inches), while the canuers use all 

 that are large enough to pay them for the handling, although those that are suited for the fresh 

 markets are generally too expensive to put into cans. Elsewhere on the coast the influence of the 

 canneries is not felt and the problem involved in the preparation of suitable protective laws is 

 much simpler. 



Many of those directly interested in the lobster fishery, even though conscious of an apparent 

 decrease, are opposed either to legislation or to any change in existing laws, and this is especially 

 true of the coast of Maine. The objection generally raised by the fishermen to laws governing 

 the size of marketable lobsters is that it is difficult either to measure or weigh the lobsters as they 

 are taken from the traps, and that unscrupulous fishermen would kill those taken under a standard 

 size in order to prevent their entering the traps a second time. When spawning lobsters are 

 caught, the same fishermen, it is argued, could easily remove the eggs, and in this manner evade 

 the law. To most persons, a close time presents the simplest method of protecting the industry; 

 but a close time to serve the most good should come at that season of the year when the fishery 

 is most profitable for the fishermen. 



GOULDSBORO', ME. A correspondent writes: "I think there should be no lobsters caught in 

 July and August." 



ROCKPORT, ME. Mr. John D. Piper writes as follows: "My reasons for expressing a belief 

 that the law should be so changed as to restrict the taking of lobsters to thrifty marketable lob- 

 sters of not less than 10 inches in length, are that the factories use lobsters of from 3 to 7 inches 

 in size, and these are taken in shoal water where they are feeding in large quantities. Could these 

 small growing lobsters be protected until they are 10 inches, the increase of the catch would be 

 wonderful. I would prohibit the canning of soft-shell lobsters because it is an imposition upon 



