102 GEOGRAPHICAL REVIEW OF THE FISHERIES. 



upon Sir Feriliuando, who thus became sole proprietor of the towu. It was probably Gorges's 

 influence at court which secured its incorporation as a city, under the name of Gorgeana, on the 

 first of May, 1G11. On the 25tli day of the March following the issuance of the city charter, 

 Thomas Gorges, a relative of the proprietor, was chosen as the first mayor. The descendants of 

 some of the aldermen elected at the same time still live in the place. In 1652, as a result of the 

 difficulties between the King and Parliament, the colonial possessions of Sir Ferdinando were 

 transferred to the Massachusetts Bay Company, which abrogated the charter of the city of 

 Gorgeana and changed the name of the town to that by which it is now known. 



Coining down to the last century, we find the port with its custom-house, and with quite a 

 fleet engaged in trade with the West Indies and other foreign countries, together with numerous 

 vessels employed in the fisheries. Its maritime importance is, however, wholly a thing of the past, 

 for otber neighboring ports have long since absorbed its commerce, and the fisheries have gradually 

 declined until at the present time one vessel of over 20 tons burden, together with several large 

 sail-boats and a few dories, comprise the entire fishing fleet of the town. These are used by the 

 fishermen in the capture of cod and other ground-fish, which they take with trawl and line on 

 Jeffries' Banks, off Boon Island, and along the shore. 



Clams are dug on both sides of the York River for a mile and a half from its mouth, and about 

 2,375 bushels are taken annually, of which the greater part are sold to peddlers and sent to the 

 interior; but of late years the species is said to have decreased in abundance. 



Lobsters are trapped among the rocky ledges near the harbor from April to the middle of 

 July. The catch has been small for a number of years, amounting in 1879 to only 20,000 lobsters, 

 and those taken have been of inferior size. The same is said to be true for many other places 

 along the coast of Maine, the cause of it usually being given by the residents as over-fishing. 

 With the present State law, which forbids the canning of lobsters between the mouth of August 

 and the following April of each year, rigidly enforced, a decided improvement may be expected. 



KITTERY. The old town of Kittery is situated directly opposite New Castle, N. H., on the 

 north side of the Piscataqua River. At the present time it has forty-seven men engaged in fishing 

 and lobsteriug during the summer months, or from March to November. Two large weirs are located 

 on the outer beach, and a third one in the mouth of the river. During the season of 1879 there 

 were taken from these weirs 180 barrels of mackerel, 325 barrels of herring, 100 barrels of alewives, 

 and 1,740 barrels of menhaden, the whole having a value of over $3,000. Other species, including 

 tautog, scup, and salmon, were taken, but in such limited quantities that they may be wholly 

 neglected. Salmon were formerly quite abundant in the river, but they gradually disappeared 

 until, for fifteen years prior to 1878, none were seen. Since that time a few have been secured. 

 The catch of salmon in 1880, for the three weirs mentioned, amounted to nineteen good-sized fish, 

 taken during the mouths of April and May. 



Two small schooners and twenty-three boats are owned by the fishermen, who engage to a 

 considerable extent in fishing for different species along the shore. The catch in 1879, exclusive 

 of those taken in the weirs, amounted to 525,000 pounds offish, valued at $5,250, and 18,000 lob- 

 sters, worth $900. 



