REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. CLXXVII 



THE LOBSTER FISHERY. 



Among the shore fisheries of Maine and Massachusetts few have 

 received more attention from the State authorities than the lobster 

 fishery. Considering the importance of this branch, which ranks third 

 in vabje among the fisheries of New England and holds the first posi- 

 tion among the fisheries of Maine and the sixth in Massachusetts, it is 

 not strange that its maintenance should be the subject for solicitude 

 among those intrusted with the supervision of the fisheries or other- 

 wise interested in the industry. The more or less local habitat of the 

 lobster is the principal reason for believing that its abundance in a 

 given coast area may be seriously affected by indiscriminate methods. 

 The migration of lobsters is essentiall/ a bathic one, the coastwise 

 movements being limited, even if worthy of note. It is this fact which 

 affords the strongest ground for reliance on rational regulation and 

 artificial propagation for the maintenance or increase of the supply. 



The protection accorded the lobster in the New England States has 

 consisted in a limitation of the size of lobsters marketed and canned, 

 the establishment of a close season for canning, and the prohibition of 

 the sale of egg-bearing lobsters. 



In the investigation of the fisheries carried on by this office, the 

 lobster fishery has always received careful attention. By the personal 

 inquiries of its agents, the Commission has obtained accurate statistics 

 and has kept well informed regarding the methods employed, the status 

 of the fishery, and the nature and the degree of enforcement of the 

 State regulations. The office inquiries show that the output of the lob- 

 ster fishery in this country in 1S92 was 23,301,149 pounds, valued at 

 $1,050,677. The catch was apportioned as follows among the different 

 States : 



The great interests of the New England States in the perpetuation of 

 this fishery are evidenced by this table. 



Since 1889, when this division made a complete canvass of this fishery, 

 there has been a very important decrease in the catch of lobsters in 

 New England, especially in Maine. In 1889 the Maine fishermen took 

 25,001,351 pounds of lobsters, for which they received $574,165. TMs 

 was probably the highest point ever attained by the fishery. The 

 decline of over 7,000,000 pounds in the production in three years indi- 

 cates a catch in previous years far beyond the natural resources and 

 F 92 XII 



