REPORT OF COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. 133 



the enforcement of such a law the pots might be required to have 

 &n entrance small enough to prevent those over 14 inches from 

 entering, and the slats wide enough apart to allow those under 9 

 inches to escape. 



5. Close Time. The State of Rhode Island has passed laws mak- 

 ing the setting of pots and the taking of lobsters between the 15th of 

 November and the 15th of April unlawful. Some restriction of this 

 sort is certainly needed but there should be cooperation between all 

 the states interested in the lobster fishery. There might be some 

 question also, whether these particular dates are the best. 



6. Prevention of Mutilation. In order to avoid the consequences 

 of retaining short lobsters, the fishermen have recourse to breaking 

 the lobsters in two. This makes it impossible to tell the length of 

 the lobster, especially when the parts of many lobsters were mixed 

 together. To prevent this infringement, and also to prevent the use 

 of short lobsters for bait, laws have been passed in some states 

 imposing a fine for possessing the mutilated remains of uncooked 

 lobsters. The canning industry was dealt a severe blow by these 

 laws, but in one state (Maine) special legislation was made in regard 

 to these factories. 



7. Further Regulations. In some states non-residents are pre- 

 vented from engaging in lobster fishing. Further, certain states 

 require that all cars, traps, and other contrivances used in catching 

 or handling lobsters shall be branded with the owner's name, and in 

 order to give protection to the lobstermen, unauthorized meddling 

 with lobster gear is heavily fined. 



8. Tabulation of Lobster Laws. The following table gives the 

 main laws of various states regarding the lobster fishery : 



