24 GEOGRAPHICAL REVIEW OP TIE FISHERIES. 



County, and contains the custom -house for the Machias district, which embraces the section of 

 coast lying between Cutler on the east and Gouldsboro' on the west. 



The people of the place have never engaged extensively in the fisheries, as they are fully 15 

 miles from the fishing grounds. There are at present no professional fishermen in the town, and 

 no fishing vessels are owned at the village. A few men go to the outer islands occasionally in small 

 boats during the summer mouths, for cod and pollock, fishing more for pleasure than for profit. 

 Mr. II. V. Knight, who keeps the only fish market 'in the place, estimates the total catch by these 

 parties at 50 quintals yearly. The supply of fish, lobsters, and clams comes overland from the 

 vicinity of .Tonesport. 



JONESBOKO'. The town of Jonesboro', situated to the north and east of Mason's Bay, has a 

 population of 550, engaged chiefly in farming in summer and in lumbering in winter. The only 

 settlement of note is a village of fifteen to twenty houses on a small stream known as Chandler's 

 River. There are no important fisheries in the town. Ten men fish for lobsters from April to 

 August, and, later in the season, some of them go out occasionally with hand-lines to catch a few 

 fish for their own tables. There are four small brush-weirs, which in 1880 caught 12 barrels of 

 mackerel (Scomber scombrwi), in addition to a quantity of herring and other species that were used 

 for bait or as a dressing for the land. A small vessel owned in the town took 25 quintals of fish 

 in 1879, but in 1880 she was not employed in the fisheries. 



The shores of Mason's Bay, especially those of Rogue Island, are bordered by extensive mud- 

 flats, in which clams (Mya arcnaria) are peculiarly abundant, this being a favorite resort for the 

 clam diggers of the adjoining towns. Large quantities are dug here annually by the residents of 

 other places, but only two of the Jonesboro people engage in the work. 



10. JONESPORT AND ITS FISHERIES. 



GENERAL AOCOUNT. The town of Jonesport, lying between Jonesboro' and Addison, was 

 incorporated in 1832, and has at present 1,300 inhabitants. It is situated on Moose-a-bec Reach, 

 an inside passage for vessels and steamers between the mainland and the outlying islands. It has 

 a fair harbor, protected from the ocean by the ledges and islands, and is one of the principal steam- 

 boat landings of the region, having direct communication with Rocklaud and Portland. The 

 people of the town divide their attention about equally between the land and the water. Many of 

 them "follow the sea" during a greater part of the year, while others catch flsli and lobsters in 

 summer and dig clams in winter, most of them having small garden spots, on which they raise a 

 few vegetables to supply their own tables. 



Seven small fishing- vessels, valued at over $3,000 and carrying thirty-two men, are owned by 

 the villagers and the inhabitants of the outlying islands. Six of these are engaged in the shore 

 fisheries, landing an average of $1,200 worth offish each, and one is employed in "running" lobsters 

 to Boston and to the cannery at Jouesport. 



THE LOBSTER INDUSTRY. The catching of lobsters constitutes an important business, and 

 seventy-one men, with an average of sixty-five pots each, are engaged in the fishery. The best 

 lobstermen make $300 yearly, while the average is about $125 for the season, which lasts from 

 April to August. Prior to 1855 no lobsters were shipped from the town, the few secured being 

 taken with gaffs or hoop-nets for local supply. At this time Capt. John I). Piper arrived at Jones- 

 port in a well-smack, bringing a crew of fishermen, who were provided with pots for catching the 

 lobsters, which he purposed taking to Boston. As soon as this fact became known great excite- 

 ment prevailed, the loc.il fishermen fearing that the supply of lobsters would soon be exhausted. 

 According to Captain Piper, a town meeting was at once called to consider the subject, and it was 



