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HISTORY AND METHODS OF THE FISHERIES. 



The totals of the Penobscot salmon-fishery are as follows : Number of weirs built 1 72, including 

 the alewive weirs, of which all but 7 take some salmon, though 20 of them take so few that they 

 are not considered of importance; traps (or pound-nets) set, 05; gill-nets in use, 36; -number of 

 salmon caught, 10,016. 



Alewives. The alewife fishery extends on the west side of the bay and river, from Moose 

 Point to Hampden, and on the east shore from Castine to Orrington, but centers at Orlaud on 

 Eastern River above the ordinary range of salmon. From early times the alewife fishery was far 

 better on the east than on the west side of the bay and river, a fact which may be taken to indicate 

 that the. eastern tributaries originally contained more extensive or more favorable breeding 

 grounds than those on the west. However this may have been when all the tributaries of the 

 west side were accessible, it is certain that for a half a century the best and nearly all the 

 breeding grounds have been on the east side. For nearly that length of time the lakes and ponds 

 in Orlaud have been the principal breeding places of the alewife. At the present time the only 

 other accessible pond is Walker's pond in Brooksville, which, however, has no appreciable effect on 

 the fishery except in Castine Harbor and in Bagaduce River, where it is quite insignificant. Of 

 the total of 730,000 ale wives taken in 1880, only 93,900 (equal 13 per cent.) were taken on the 

 west side. 



The implements of the alewife fishery are the weirs, mainly the same engaged in the salmon 

 fishery. Those built especially for alewives in Eastern River have no important peculiarities. 

 There is also at Orland a small dip-net fishery, in which about thirty persons engage irregularly 

 duriug the few days occupied by the alewives in ascending the dams. 



The alewife fishery of the Penobscot may be summarized as follows : 



A few of the alewives are consumed fresh and a very small number salted (in 1880 only 17 

 barrels), 95 per cent, are smoked, and the most of these are disposed of in local markets. 



Shad. Nearly everything that can be said about shad in the Penobscot is of a historical 

 character, and will be found on another page. At the present time the catch of shad is an inci- 

 dent, and a very unimportant one, of the weir-fishery for salmon and alewives. Only 800 were taken 

 in 1880, as ascertained by careful inquiry. 



Smelts. The fishery for smelts ranks in importance next to that for salmon, the aggregate 

 product being 266,875 pounds, valued at $14,579. It is carried on by means of weirs, bag-nets, 

 and hook and line. 



The weir fishery for smelts is confined to 4 small weirs, built in Eastern River and the Thor- 

 oughfare. 



The bag-net fishery is the branch by which by far the greater part of the smelts are taken. 

 It is confined to a few localities, mainly Eastern River and the Thoroughfare, the main river from 

 Winterport to Mill Creek (South Orrington), and Marsh River, in Frankfort. The style of *he 



