34 



FISH AND GAME. 



of traps has varied between 13,877 and 29,996. The following 

 statistics on the lobster fishery present a concise statement of 

 the actual situation in Massachusetts, and are worthy of a 

 careful perusal by the intelligent reader : 



1 Number of lobsters above 9 inches. 



The most accurate way to consider the question of the decline 

 of the Massachusetts lobster fishery is to take the average 

 number of lobsters caught per pot between 1888 and 1914 at 

 five-year intervals. In spite of the increase with the change in 

 the size limit, there has been a steady decline from a maximum 

 of 81 per pot in 1888 to a minimum of 28 per pot in 1904 and 

 35 per pot in 1914. The average for the five years between 

 1888 and 1894 was 76 per pot; between 1894 and 1899, 49.4; 

 between 1899 and 1905, 36.3; between 1905 and 1910, 40.2; and 

 between 1910 and 1915, 30.8. From a comparison of the num- 

 ber of men and pots, it is evident an increased number of men 

 and pots fishing over a wider territory have not been able to 

 increase the catch, owing to the fact that the number of lob- 

 sters has diminished. Another factor which points to the 



