500 HISTORY AND METHODS OF THE FISHERIES. 



water and was much smaller than the weirs of the present day. It proved very successful in the 

 capture of herring, and other parties soon built weirs of similar size for the same purpose. 



GROWTH OF THE WEIR FISHERY. From this small beginning the weir- fishing gradually 

 spread to the adjoining section, and Campobello, Grand Manan, and the various settlements along 

 the American shore soon had extensive weir fisheries. In 1835 the weir was introduced into the 

 fisheries of Grand Manau Island by Lubec parties. In 1836 the first one was built in West 

 Quoddy Bay, which soon came to be the principal fishing ground on the American shore, and 

 within fifteen years from that date there were 30 weirs between Lubec and West Quoddy Head, a 

 distance of three or four miles at most. 



In 1849, according to Mr. M. H. Perley, there were 27 weirs at Grand Manan, 21 at Campobello 

 Island, and 7 on the West Isles. We find no printed record of the number on the American shore 

 at that time, but the older fishermen of the region informed us that there were about 45 in the town 

 of Lubec, with 20 additional at Eastport and along the Maine shore between Lubec and Calais. 

 This would give Co for the American shore and 55 on the English islands, making a total of 120 at 

 that time. 



In ] 878 there were, according to the New Brunswick Fishing Report, 86 weirs, valued at 

 $25,740, in the British territory above described. In 1879, according to the same authority, there 

 were in the same region 99 weirs, distributed as follows : 



St. Croix district 6 



Inner Bay district 1 



Lepreatix, Beaver Harbor, and L'Etete districts 11 



Deer Isle 32 



Campobello Island 24 



Grand Manan Island 25 



During our visit to Eastport in the summer of 1880 we found that the American fishermen 

 were still exclusively engaged in the fishing with weirs, located as follows: 



Outer shore of Lubec 4 



American sboro of West Quoddy Bay.. 10 



English shore of West Quoddy Bay (owned by Lubec parties) 7 



North Lubec 10 



Eastport, and the small islands in the vicinity.. 17 



West shore of Saint Croix River, between Eastport and Robbinston 12 



Above Robbinston G 



In addition to these, there were 7 weirs not fished during the season of 1879. 



Prior to 1865 all weirs were built on the flats along the shore, some of them being dry at low 

 tide, while the largest had but 2 to 5 feet of water at most. About this time the fishermen began 

 building in deeper water, and within a few years their weirs were so arranged as to have 12 to 14 

 feet of water at low tide. 



PRINCIPLE ON WHICH WEIRS ARE CONSTRUCTED AND THE DIFFERENT KINDS. As the brush 

 weir is so extensively used in the capture of sardine herring, it may be desirable to give a more 

 detailed account of its construction. It is built on a principle similar to that employed in all the 

 weirs, traps, and pounds along the shore, the plan being to direct the fish towards the bowl by the 

 use of long leaders and funnel-shaped openings, and to prevent them from escaping by means of 

 projecting curves or hooks that carry them beyond the opening or by stretching the net across 

 the mouth of the weir after the fish have entered. 



Several kinds of weirs are employed in the fisheries at Eastport. These have names depend- 

 ing largely upon their shape and the character of the shore and adjoining bottom on which they 

 are built. 



A " bar" weir is one that is located near a rocky ledge or bar that is usually exposed at half 



