10 REPORT OF COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. 



retaiued the youug lobsters during the season, to what extent I 

 do not know, but to have kept them at all is accomplishing- more 

 than anyone else, so far as we know. 



This we trnst will point to a successful solution of the artificial 

 propagation of this valuable crnstacea at no very distant day. 



The effect of human agency in depleting the lobsters by the 

 capture of half-grown, and the egg-bearing, have caused much 

 concern, and led to the enactment of laws limiting the size and 

 prohibiting the catch of those bearing eggs. 



To put back into the water all below a fixed limit cannot largely 

 increase the stock, but must have a favorable effect, as it gives 

 those that have passed through the most hazardous period of life 

 a chance to attain to a mature size. While the taking of the egg- 

 bearers is a draft upon future stock, and if they could be returned 

 to the Avater and allowed to remain there until the eggs were 

 hatched, little more could be accomplished in the way of assisting 

 nature in kee^Ding up the stock. 



The efforts made to enforce legal enactments to secure these 

 ends have failed ; they have succeeded only in creating a conflict 

 between those charged with the enforcement of the law and the 

 fishermen, and in the expenditure of large sums of the State's 

 money. 



The restrictive laws are often evaded, and never effective in ac- 

 complishing the purpose expected. While they may restrain a few, 

 the majority will destroy the eggs to avoid the jDenalty, and retain 

 the lobster for market. 



We do not mean here to impute to the fishermen any special 

 lawlessness beyond that of other classes. Most people are willing 

 to escape taxes ; very many constantly evade them ; and the fisher- 

 men look upon anything taken from their catch as a tax. Each 

 egg-lobster means to them about twenty-five cents, and is it a 

 matter of surprise that they don't voluntarily drop overboard an 

 indefinite amount of quarters of dollars. 



We make no apology for those who break the law. It is our 



