732 HISTORY AND METHODS OF THE FISHERIES. 



extreme of the body extended to the other, exclusive of feelers and claws, shall be sold or 

 exposed for sale from the first day of August to the first day of April following, under a penalty 

 of five dollars for each and every lobster so sold or exposed for sale. 



" SEO. 3. The penalties under this act may be recovered by indictment or action of debt 

 one-half thereof to go to the person making the complaint or bringing the action, and one-half to 

 the use of the town in which the offense is committed. 



" SEC. 4. All acts and parts of acts inconsistent with this act are hereby repealed." 



The above law was replaced in 1883 by the following, approved February 21: 



Chapter 138 of the public laws, passed in 1883. 



"SECTION 1. There shall be a close time for lobsters from the fifteenth day of August to the 

 fifteenth day of November in each year, during which close time no lobsters shall be fished for, 

 taken, caught, killed, bought, sold, exposed for sale, or in possession in cars, pounds, or otherwise, 

 under a penalty of fifty dollars for the offense, and one dollar for each and every lobster so taken, 

 caught, killed, bought, sold, exposed for sale, or in possession as aforesaid. 



" SEC. 2. It shall be unlawful to fish for, catch, buy, sell, expose for sale, or possess for canning 

 purposes or otherwise, between the first day of April and the first day of August, of each year, 

 any female lobster in spawn or with eggs attached, or any young lobster less than nine inches in 

 length, measuring from head to tail exclusive of claws or feelers ; and when caught they shall be 

 liberated alive, at the risk and cost of the party taking said lobsters, under a penalty of one dollar 

 for each and every lobster so caught, bought, sold, exposed for sale, in possession or not so liberated. 



"SEC. 3. The penalties imposed by this act may be recovered in the manner provided by sec- 

 tion twenty-six, of chapter seventy-five of the public laws of eighteen hundred and seventy-eight." 



In February, 1885, the lobster laws of Maine were again amended, to read as follows: 



Chapter 27b of the public laws, passed in 1885. 



"SECTION 1. There shall be a close time for lobsters between the fifteenth day of August and 

 the first day of October, during which no lobsters shall be fished for, taken, caught, killed, bought, 

 sold, exposed for sale, or in possession, in cars, pounds, or otherwise, under a penalty of fifty dol- 

 lars for the offense, and one dollar for every lobster so taken, caught, killed, bought, sold, exposed 

 for sale, or in possession as aforesaid: Provided, however, that the provisions of this section shall 

 not apply to any person taking lobsters not less than ten and one-half inches in length for the sole 

 use and consumption of himself and family. 



" SEC. 2. No person or corporation shall can or preserve any lobsters between the fifteenth day 

 of July and the first, day of the following April, under a penalty of five dollars for every lobster so 

 canned or preserved, and a further penalty of three hundred dollars for each day on which such 

 unlawful canning or preserving is done. 



"SEC. 3. It is unlawful to fish for, catch, buy, sell, expose for sale, or possess, between the 

 first day of October and the fifteenth day of the following August, any female lobster in spawn or 

 with eggs attached, or any young lobster less than ten and one-half inches in length, measuring 

 from head to tail extended, exclusive of claws or feelers, and such lobsters when caught shall be 

 liberated alive, at the risk and cost of the party taking them, under a penalty of one dollar for 

 each lobster so caught, bought, sold, exposed for sale, or in possession not so liberated : Provided, 

 however, that from the first day of April to the fifteenth day of July it shall be lawful to fish for, 

 catcb, buy, sell, expose for sale, or possess for canning and all other purposes any lobsters not less 

 than nine inches in length, measured as aforesaid, but not including female lobsters in spawn or 

 with eggs attached." 



