698 HISTORY AND METHODS OF THE FISHERIES. 



The j/jmediate vicinity of Provincetown has suffered most in this respect, but scarcely more 

 than any part of the coast from that town to Boston on the north side and to New Bedford on 

 the south. A delay in the publication of this report enables the writer to add a note for the 

 southern portion of this region, covering the period down to July, 1885. Vineyard Sound proper 

 and the vicinity of Wood's Holl have afforded poor catches for a number of years, but the region 

 about Gay Head and No Man's Land has continued to attract the lobstermeu down to the present 

 time. Each succeeding year, however, the lobsters have appeared to be less plentiful, and during 

 the spring months and June of 1885 scarcely anything has been done. The fishermen are dis- 

 couraged, and are forced to attribute the scarcity to overfishing, the possibility of which many of 

 them have all along denied. 



In the waters of Rhode Island and Connecticut a large decrease of lobsters is reported by 

 many of the fishermen, and the increased catch for the few years preceding 1880 was only obtained 

 by the use of a much larger number of traps than was employed formerly. Although the fishery 

 in those States was begun very many years ago, it is only within comparatively recent times that 

 it has been extensively carried on. 



On the coast of Maine the evidences of decrease are very strong, especially as regards the 

 shallower areas; but the rapid extension of the grounds into comparatively deep water, with 

 the consequent increase or constancy in catch for a time, has made the actual decrease less 

 apparent. The rocky bottoms of the coast of Maine are also supposed to afford the lobsters 

 greater protection than the sandy ones to the south, and in many places the traps cannot be set 

 so closely together; neither is it probable that the lobsters in such localities move about as much 

 in search of food. 



The greatest decrease has occurred within the past fifteen to twenty years, or since the estab- 

 lishment of numerous canneries and of the perfected methods of transporting fresh lobsters to 

 all parts of the country. The demand being so much greater than the supply, there are no 

 restrictions on the amount of the catch, beyond those imposed by the State laws or resulting from 

 the scarcity of lobsters. Fish are among the greatest enemies of lobsters, and cod are known to 

 consume enormous quantities, but nature has provided against their extinction by such means, 

 and it is man alone who has disturbed the balance. 



There are some fluctuations in the supply of lobsters in certain localities from time to time, 

 and a year of scarcity may be followed l>y one of comparative abundance. Such changes must be 

 carefully considered in connection with the question of decrease, as they are exceedingly 

 misleading, and observations upon the sul ject are not of much value unless they have been con- 

 tinued for a number of years. 



In submitting the material contained in the following pages, respecting the abundance of 

 lobsters and the subject of protection, the writer has endeavored to state the evidence presented 

 without prejudice or undue comment. As previously remaiked, it was not within the power of 

 those charged with the fishery investigations of 1880 to summon witnesses, even if they had had 

 the time for it, and nothing was obtained except from willing contributors. One member of the 

 party that conducted the investigations on the coast of Maine was not convinced that the decrease 

 was as great or serious in that State as the accounts appeared to indicate. Opposed to him, 

 however, is a mass of evidence from many reliable sources, which has been accumulating for 

 several years. The only satisfactory way of determining the question would be to institute a 

 thorough and careful investigation of the entire lobster region under the authority of the National 

 Government or of the several States, and the lobster interests are of sufficient importance to 

 justify such action. Such an investigation has recently been made of the coasts of Great Britain, 

 and an abstract from the report of the commissioners is quoted on a following page. In Norway 



