500 HISTORY AND METHODS OF THE FISHERIES. 
water and was much smaller than the weirs of the present day. It proved very successful in the 
capture of herring, and other parties soon built weirs of similar size for the same purpose. 
GROWTH OF THE WEIR FISHERY.— From this small beginning the weir-fishing gradually 
spread to the adjoining section, and Campobello, Grand Manan, and the various settlements along 
the American shore soon had extensive weir fisheries. In 1835 the weir was introduced into the 
fisheries of Grand Manan Island by Lubec parties. In 1836 the first one was built in West 
Quoddy Bay, which soon came to be the principal fishing-ground on the American shore, and 
within fifteen years from that date there were 30 weirs between Lubec and West Quoddy Head, a 
distance of three or four miles at most. 
In 1849, according to Mr. M. H. Perley, there were 27 weirs at Grand Manan, 21 at Campobello 
Island, and 7 on the West Isles. We find no printed record of the number on the American shore 
at that time, but the older fishermen of the region informed us that there were about 45 in the town 
of Lubec, with 20 additional at Eastport and along the Maine shore between Lubec and Calais. 
This would give 65 for the American shore and 55 on the English islands, making a total of 120 at 
that time. : 
In 1878 there were, according to the New Brunswick Fishing Report, 86 weirs, valued at 
$25,740, in the British territory above described. In 1879, according to the same authority, there 
were in the same region 99 weirs, distributed as follows: 
St. Croix district ....... eiciveacloh bidemehameuce sue wir Seco Seccbsceewawete chesiee wadeet ees 6 
Tnner Bay Gistrict xicncesisincisioninc s ccicceig c cisie We wisin cin oe eargei cisco dies einnies sme ciesieeies esitieisie 1 
Lepreaux, Beaver Harbor, and L’Etete districts -......22. 222. s202 cee eee coe ee cece euocee 11 
Deer Isl6es oo ja cccirais ciatsis sete ose Screens faite oeawenisie Sociale we mea niticiwedeseaw ees ew destesen 32 
Campobello Island.......... pyolsjonereuscis me Gore ant op lammisige Seluovs sees aussie saieeicie /owicneitratese es 24 
Grand Manan Island..........-...-- Eales Robin gievarciayaiaicySieisia.e usiere oe isitls siSwisi s\nlaveieist meleescie ceeinie o 25 
During our visit to Eastport in the summer of 1880 we found that the American fishermen 
were still exclusively engaged in the fishing with weirs, located as follows: 
Outer SHOre:Of VUbG0 oisccciccscoik siscccocigwni coe ects Qecedek eycieses cienice gemmuectee es 4 
American shore of West Quoddy Bay......- 2-22. c00. cece eee cee tee cone ee cece ee eee eee 10 
English shore of West Quoddy Bay (owned by Lubec parties)... .......-.2.. .----+ -eeeee 7 
North Guboe:s 6 sc2ccdesctiessdmecteaneencdistieceds east os scent Gund geemeeuesosobeseew 10 
Eastport, and the small islands in the vicinity .. ...-.. 2.02. ..eee2 sec eee ween es cece ee eeee 17 
West shore of Saint Croix River, between Eastport and Robbinston.............-..------ 12 . 
Above: RODDINStON asa; cu.e Sica ides ue cemeeekle: coceceudtareeeiois chenteseans omeecceee 6 
In addition to these, there were 7 weirs not fished during the season of 1879. 
Prior to 1865 all weirs were built on the flats along the shore, some of them being dry at low 
tide, while the largest had but 2 to 5 feet of water at most. About this time the fishermen began 
building in deeper water, and within a few years their weirs were so arranged as to have 12 to 14 
feet of water at low tide. 
PRINCIPLE ON WHICH WEIRS ARE CONSTRUCTED AND THE DIFFERENT KINDS.—AS the brush 
weir is so extensively used ir the capture of sardine herring, it may be desirable to give a more 
detailed account of its construction. It is built on a principle similar to that employed in all the 
weirs, traps, and pounds along the shore, the plan being to direct the fish towards the bow] by the 
use of long leaders and funnel-shaped openings, and to prevent them from escaping by means of 
projecting curves or hooks that carry them beyond the opening or by stretching the net across 
the mouth of the weir after the fish have entered. 
Several kinds of weirs are employed in the fisheries at Eastport. These have names depend- 
ing largely upon their shape and the character of the shore and adjoining bottom on which they 
are built. 
A “bar” weir is one that is located near a rocky ledge or bar that is usually exposed at half 
