506 HISTORY AND METHODS OP THE FISHERIES. 



thus practically debarred from this entrance, seem to have moved a few miles farther east, and are 

 now more abundant in the vicinity of Deer Isle. In other sections there is no sufficient evidence 

 to show any permanent decrease, though the catch of one year, for various reasons, may vary 

 considerably from that of the following or preceding one. 



LAY OF THE FISHERMEN. The financial arrangement between the owners of the weirs and 

 the fishermen varies with the locality. Several methods are commonly adopted for regulating this 

 matter. Many of the weirs are built and owned by a number of men, who fish them in common, 

 all sharing equally in the proceeds of the catch. Others are owned by a capitalist and tended by 

 the regular fishermen. This is the case at Grand Manau, where, according to Mr. Fisher, the weir 

 is built and kept in repair by the owner, who also furnishes the seine ; as a return for this he 

 receives one-fifth of the smoked herring after they have been prepared for market. The fishermen 

 furnish the boats, dip-nets, scoop-nets, wash-nets, smoke-houses, boxes, and the labor in catching 

 and preparing the fish, and receive four-fifths of the products of the weir, which in this region 

 average about 16,000 boxes of herring annually. 



In the vicinity of Lubec the weirs are owned by the men who fish them. These have an 

 agreement among themselves whereby only those who are on hand to help fish the weir on any 

 particular occasion shall have a share in the catch. Thus a man who absents himself when his 

 services are required loses his portion of the catch as long as he continues to be absent. 



ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF THE BRUSH WEIR IN ITS RELATION TO THE SAR- 

 DINE INDUSTRY. In order that the apparatus may be adapted to the herring fisheries of Quoddy 

 River it should be strong, inexpensive, easily kept in repair, and capable of retaining the smallest 

 fish ; it should also fish at all seasons and with regularity. Most of these conditions are met by 

 the brush weir, which, though seemingly primitive, answers the purpose for which it is intended 

 better than any apparatus with which we are familiar. It resists the strong tides of the Bay of 

 Fundy and the pressure of the drift material that is frequently abundant in the region. It costs 

 little in proportion to its durability and can be easily repaired at a slight expense, though repairs 

 are seldom needed other than those required for putting it in order for the season's work each 

 spring. It retains the fish admirably, and even the smallest will not attempt to escape through 

 the openings in the brush, which soon becomes well covered with muscles and alga3 ; on the con- 

 trary, they seem to avoid the brush and do not approach within a foot or more of it unless they 

 are frightened, and even then they will seldom attempt to escape. In this particular the weir is 

 far superior to a net, for unless of the smallest mesh most of the fish would pass through or become 

 gilled and by their weight tear it from the posts and carry it to the bottom. 



In the canning of sardines it is found vei-y desirable that there should be a constant supply 

 of fish ; and as the business increases the question of a regular supply will be one of the greatest 

 importance. The thirteen canning establishments at Eastport already employ over one thousand 

 hands when running, and this entire number thus become wholly dependent upon the daily catch 

 of herring, and any lack of fish therefore occasions much loss. The total capacity of these can- 

 neries when working on full time is 375 barrels, equal to 62 hogsheads, daily ; and it is quite 

 important that this supply should be constant ; otherwise a large amount of capital remains idle 

 and hundreds of people are thrown out of employment. 



ADDITIONAL WEIRS BUILT TO INSURE A REGULAR AND CONSTANT SUPPLY. To overcome 

 this uncertainty of daily supply, many new weirs have been built, in the hope that some of them 

 might be successful in taking fish each day ; but when one has good fishing nearly all are apt to 

 be equally successful, and when one fails most fail, so that there is usually either an over-supply 

 or there are no fish. Even with these additional weirs the canneries often lose from one-fourth to 



