86 KENDALL: NEW ENGLAND SALMONS. 



TABLE 15. 

 Catches of two weirs in the Penobscot, near Biccksport, for 23 years, from 1874 io 1896 inclusive. 



two weirs in the same locality. Therefore there appears to have been a considerable 

 decrease in salmon up to 1896 when the number exceeded every other year in 36 years 

 excepting 1863 and 1867. Even in 1863 the number was only 15 greater than 1896. 



In 1885 a large run was reported, one authority stating that salmon had not been 

 so abundant in the Penobscot for 50 years. The fish were said to run to smalls and 

 mediums. Mr. L. A. Dow, Brigadieis Island, Searsport, was reported high line in that 

 vicinity, his hauls aggregating 507 salmon, averaging 13 pounds each, — a total of 

 6591 pounds, a profitable season's work. 



A letter dated October 17, 1917, from Harry B. Austin, chairman of the Inland Fish 

 and Game Commission, to James D. Derocher, superintendent of the Craig Brook 

 salmon hatchery, said in part : 'I am told by State Warden Frank Perkins more have been 

 seen in the river far up the East Branch of the Penobscot than have been seen for many 

 years, which, inasmuch as this was an off year, is, to say the least, encouraging.' 



The Atlantic Fisherman (Anonymous 1930, p. 19) under the heading Penobscot 

 River Sea Salmon Catch Largest in History has the following note: 'Oscar A. Fickett 

 Company, at Bangor, purchased what is claimed to be the largest catch of sea salmon 

 in the history of the Penobscot River industry. It totalled 1200 pounds.' 



Table 16 shows the numbers, weights and average weights of salmon caught in 

 Penobscot Bay and River in 14 years, the first 11 years being consecutive (1895 to 

 1905 both inclusive). There is then a gap of 12 years for which statistics are not 

 available. Following this are three consecutive years (1918 to 1920). 



The catch for three of the first eleven years (1896, 1901, and 1905) amounted to 

 over 6,000 fish each. The largest catch of the three was in 1901, which exceeded that of 

 1896 by 418 fish. But the catch of 1905 fell short of that of 1896 by only 25 fish. No 

 year of the 11 fell below the 3,000 mark, the smallest catch being in 1898. 



The records are too few for positive indication of cycles of abundance or scarcity, 

 but the tables suggest a four or five-year periodicity in the high and low catches. In 

 each of the last three years (1918-1920), the numbers caught fell short of 200, the largest 



