142 



FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES, 1908. 



an increase of 50 per cent in the quantity of the catch 

 of this fish together with an increase of nearly 95 per 

 cent in the value. Lines were the principal kind of 

 apparatus used in the capture of haddock. 



Hake. — The hake was an important species of 

 "ground fish" taken in Maine, and in quantity re- 

 ported ranked next to the cod in 1908 and third among 

 all the species taken in the state. The most prolific 

 hake fishing grounds in the United States are off the 

 coast of Maine, and more than 50 per cent of the hake 

 caught in the United States comes from there. The 

 fishermen usually dress these fish before selling them. 

 Formerly the sounds were very valuable for the manu- 

 facture of glue, and although their value for this 

 purpose has decreased, the custom of dressing the hake, 

 begun before the Civil War, has continued. The 

 value of the hake product in 1908 formed 5 per cent of 

 the value of all fishery products of Maine. Compared 

 with the 1902 product that of 1908 represented a de- 

 crease of 7 per cent in quantity but an increase of 

 nearly 16 per cent in value. The hake was taken in 

 the vessel fisheries to a greater extent than in the shore 

 and boat fisheries, the total quantity caught by ves- 

 sels in 1908 constituting about 60 per cent of all hake 

 caught in the state. Lines were the leading apparatus 

 of capture employed. 



Scallops. — Although scallops have been taken in the 

 other New England states for a number of years, the 

 industry is comparatively new in Maine. The water 

 in which they are taken is of great depth, and for this 

 reason scallop fishing was not much carried on in this 

 state. During the past few years, however, the 

 advent of motor boats for dragging and of the motor 

 engines and drum for hoisting the dredge has over- 

 come the difficulties due to the deep water and led to 

 a marked increase in product. In 1908 scallops stood 

 seventh in value among the species taken in the state. 

 Exclusive of 18,000 pounds of scallop rims, with a 

 value of $100, the total product in 1908 was 1,239,000 

 pounds,, with a value of $95,000. In 1905 the total 

 quantity was 416,000 pounds, valued at $52,000, and 

 in 1902, 115,000 pounds, valued at $14,000. The 



product of the shore and boat fisheries amounted to 

 766,000 pounds, valued at $58,000. The entire catch 

 was made by dredges, tongs, rakes, hoes, and similar 

 apparatus. 



Pollack. — The value of the catch of pollack increased 

 from $49,000 in 1902 to $75,000 in 1908, or more than 

 53 per cent. The value of the product in 1908 

 amounted to four times the value of that of 1898. 

 This fish is reported in nearly equal quantities by the 

 vessel fisheries and the shore and boat fisheries, and is 

 taken principally by means of lines and seines. 



Smelt. — Although the catch of smelt represented 

 but 2 per cent of the value of the fishery products of 

 the state in 1908, smelt fishing is regarded as important 

 because it furnishes employment to a large number of 

 men in the fall and winter months. In the fall prin- 

 cipally seines are used in taking the catch, but in the 

 winter the fish are taken through the ice with lines 

 and the fishing grounds are usually some distance up 

 the rivers. Since 1902 there has been a decrease of 42 

 per cent in the quantity of the catch and 37 per cent 

 in its value. There has been a slight increase since 

 1905, however, in both quantity and value. Over 

 96 per cent of the value of the catch was reported by 

 the shore and boat fisheries. Other apparatus besides 

 seines and lines used in capturing this fish are bag nets, 

 pound nets, trap nets, weirs, and to a less extent, dip 

 nets, gill nets, and drift nets. The figures given for 

 smelt in the columns headed "All other apparatus" in 

 Table 1, on page 143, represent the catch in bag nets. 



Mackerel. — The mackerel was formerly very abun- 

 dant in the waters of Maine, but the catch for 1908 

 was only 380,000 pounds. The value of the catch was 

 $31,000, a decrease of 69 per cent since 1902, when it 

 was $101,000. 



Salmon. — Salmon fishing also has been decreasing 

 in importance yearly, the catch in 1908 being 72 per 

 cent less in value than that in 1902. The salmon is a 

 migratory fish and formerly came to the Maine waters 

 to spawn, but it is asserted that, owing to the pollution 

 of the waters, it is now impossible for the fish to reach 

 the spawning beds in the fresh water. 



