18 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Laws began to be called for to Regulate the Fisheries. 



As population increased, and settlements multiplied, and compe- 

 tition on the sea, and improvements on the land become more 

 prevalent, separate interests of individuals and communities began 

 to clash, and we find the government, whatever it was at the time, 

 often called upon to make laws and regulations for restraining 

 encroachments on the one hand, and resistance on the other. As 

 governments therefore, whether proprietory or colonial, began to 

 be established for the preservation or the protection of property, 

 the expenses accruing thereby, were met by some sort of taxation. 

 This was often paid in fish. 



Thus, we find that as early as 1684, when Pemaquid, and the 

 " region round about" were formed into a " Ducal State," under 

 the Royal Grant to the Duke of York, a duty, or tax was put upon 

 the fishermen for the purpose of revenue. " All vessels, not of the 

 Ducal State, were ordered to pay into public revenue — if a decked 

 vessel, four quintals — if an open boat, two quintals of vierchantable 

 fsh." In 1132, we find that the people of Saco met with trouble 

 in regard to their river, or interior fishery, by reason of the prac- 

 tices of the officers and soldiers of the " Truck-house" (Block-house 

 or fort,) and the town voted " that Mr. John Gordon lay a memo- 

 rial before his Excellency the Governor, and the Honorable Council 

 of the difficulties that the inhabitants and residents on Saco river 

 sustain by those in the public pay of this Province, by setting of 

 nets and drifting with nets to the disturbing of the common course 

 of the fish, and any other difficulties that are not for the honor of 

 this Province."* 



P'rom this date to the present time, legislative enactments have 

 been frequently called for, and an examination of our statute books 

 will prove the fact, that if the natural history of fishes had been more 

 thoroughly understood, some of the laws would have been very 

 differently framed and much better executed. 



Massachusetts commences Legislative Encouragement to Fisheries. 



Previous to this (in 1639) Massachusetts, whose government had 

 become more stable than that of some of its sister provinces, seeing 

 the great importance of this branch of industry, began a system of 

 encouragement to it by legislative protection. It was provided by 



* Folsom's History of Saco. 



