FISHERIES OF THE NEW ENGLAND STATES. 255 
cases the town operates the fishery, and in others sells it to the highest 
bidder, who agrees to supply each poll-tax payer a certain number of 
fish at a nominal price. Alewives are sold fresh, salted, and smoked. 
The related species, usually known as ‘* bluebacks” in this section, is 
also taken in considerable quantities along the coast and sold for bait 
and fertilizer. It is of good quality when fresh, but, owing to its 
extreme fatness, is difficult to cure. In the state as a whole this 
species is less plentiful than the alewife previously referred to, but is 
more abundant in certain localities. 
Salmon.—The salmon fishery is prosecuted in the Penobscot River 
and Bay. A few salmon are taken also in the Kennebec River and 
elsewhere along the coast. The apparatus of capture consists chiefly 
of weirs, trap nets, and gill nets. Compared with 1898 the salmon 
catch shows an increase of 7,446 pounds in quantity, and $3,385 in 
value. 
Shad.—This species is taken in various localities along the coast of 
the state, but more than 75 per cent of the catch is from the Kennebec 
River, where the fishery is of commercial importance as far up as 
Hallowell. The fishing apparatus employed in 1902 consisted princi- 
pally of pound nets, trap nets, weirs, gill nets, and seines. The quan- 
tity of shad taken by vessels fishing in the ocean and bays was 50,400 
pounds, valued at $2,071, and by boats in the shore fisheries, 798,599 
pounds, valued at $26,888. The greater part of the catch is sold fresh 
by the fishermen. Since 1898 the yield has decreased slightly in quan- 
tity, but has increased 46.61 per cent in value. 
Smelt.—This species is the object of a very important fishery during 
the fall and winter. In the fall seines are used for the most part, but 
in the winter the fish is taken through the ice on lines which are 
usually operated some distance up the rivers. Owing to the high price 
received for smelt, many men lay aside their regular occupations during 
a short time in the winter to engage in this fishery. Asa rule, each 
fisherman has a shanty ranging in size from 4 feet square to 5 by 10 
feet. Ina few instances two men occupy one shanty. A small stove 
keeps the interior comfortable, and the lines, ordinarily about 40 feet 
long, with one hook, though sometimes with two, are lowered through 
an oblong opening in the floor of the shanty which fits over a hole of 
corresponding size made in the ice. The season for ice-fishing is from 
November to March, the farther up the river the longer the season. 
The smelt fishery proved so profitable in some localities during the fall 
of 1902 that an increased number of men fitted up gear for the follow- 
ing season. 
Eels.—In some localities the eel fishery is of considerable importance. 
The catch is taken chiefly in pots. A few traps, some of which cost 
as much as $25, also were used. The greater part of the catch was 
dressed and sold fresh. 
