MAIXE SARDINE INDUSTRY. 7 



(d) flaking, as the process of distributing the fish upon the flakes for 

 drying is termed; (e) steaming; (/) drying; (g) packing the fish in 

 the cans; (h) introduction of oil into the cans; (i) sealing the cans; 

 (j) processing or sterilization of the sealed cans; (k) testing the cans 

 after processing; (I) shooking for shipment. In some canneries 

 frying in oil after the fish have been dried is substituted for steaming. 

 A brief outline of each of these steps will be first given in order that 

 a general idea may be had of the factory operations. 



FISHING. 



As a rule, the small sea herring, used in the preparation of the 

 Maine sardines, is caught in weirs, placed in comparatively shallow 

 water along the shore. Most of the weirs are located in Canadian 

 waters. In 1901, Bensley(l) estimated that each season between 

 700 and 800 weirs operated for catching these fish under licenses 

 issued by the Dominion Government. Prince (23), in an earlier report, 

 stated that 95 per cent of the American sardines are caught by 

 Canadian fishermen. A weir (PL I) is a large circular or heart- 

 shaped inclosure, made by driving stakes into the bottom of the sea, 

 and mtertwining brush between the stakes. Many of the oldest 

 forms, which are known as "brush weirs," are still employed on the 

 coast of Maine. The first "brush weir" to be constructed in this 

 region was in use during the season of 1914. In this type, brush is 

 placed above the surface of the water, as well as below. It is attached 

 to posts, and extends but a few feet above the surface of the water 

 at high tide. In many of the more recently built weirs, the brush 

 is replaced by seine, or twine, which is removed during the winter. 



The fish are directed into the weir by a lead made of brush, driven 

 into the sea bottom, extending from the shore to the mouth of the 

 weir. When a supply of fish has entered the weir, a net is dropped 

 over the mouth, and the fish are seined (PI. II, fig. 1) with a purse 

 seine, then bailed into dories from which they are transferred to the 

 sardine -fishing boats. Some of the weirs near Grand Manan Island 

 are large enough to permit the entrance of the sardine boats them- 

 selves, in which case the fish are bailed or hoisted directly into the 

 large boats (PL II, fig. 2) . 



Occasionally, when the fish remain off the shore, or for any reason 

 do not enter the weir, the fishermen resort to seining. Fish taken 

 in this way, however, are generally considered less desirable for 

 packing than those from weirs, because of the large amount of feed 

 often present in their digestive tracts. Since seined fish taken in the 

 evening are not delivered to the cannery until the following morning, 

 a certain amount of spoilage may occur during the night while they 

 are held in the boat. The State of Maine has enacted laws restricting 

 the seining of fish (17). Ordinarily the sea herring is caught while 

 in search of food, or while actively engaged in feeding. Consequently, 



