708 HISTORY AND METHODS OF THE FISHERIES. 
The totals of the Penobscot salmon-fishery are as follows: Number of weirs built 172, including 
the alewive weirs, of which all but 7 take some salmon, though 20 of them take so few that they 
are not considered of importance; traps (or pound-nets) set, 65; gill-nets in use, 36; number of 
salmon caught, 10,016. 
Alewives.—The alewife fishery extends on the west side of the bay and river, from Moose 
Point to Hampden, and on the east shore from Castine to Orrington, but centers at Orland on 
Eastern River above the ordinary range of salmon. From early times the alewife fishery was far 
better on the east than on the west side of the bay and river, a fact which may be taken to indicate 
that the eastern tributaries originally contained more extensive or more favorable breeding 
grounds than those on the west. However this may have been when all the tributaries of the 
west side were accessible, it is certain that for a half a century the best and nearly all the 
breeding grounds have been on the east side. For nearly that length of time the lakes and ponds 
in Orland have been the principal breeding places of the alewife. At the present time the only 
other accessible pond is Walker’s pond in Brooksville, which, however, has no appreciable effect on 
the fishery except in Castine Harbor and in Bagaduce River, where it is quite insignificant. Of 
the total of 730,000 alewives taken in 1880, only 95,900 (equal 13 per cent.) were taken on the 
west side. 
The implements of the alewife fishery are the weirs, mainly the same engaged in the salmon 
fishery. Those built especially for alewives in Eastern River have no important peculiarities. 
There is also at Urland a small dip-net fishery, in which about thirty persons engage irregularly 
during the few days occupied by the alewives in ascending the dams. 
The alewife fishery of the Penobscot may be summarized as follows: 
Number | Number of 
District. Namber | of dip- | alewives 
"| pers. caught, 
Castine to Penobscot......ccnccecccenevecsecsee- 81 65, 000 
Orland and Thoroughfare .- 87 392, 000 
Verona .......022 202002 eee ee at 84 |... 177, 700 
=a Searsport and Cape Gellison ... a 20 |... 87,900 
Fort Point to Fort Knox ......cccccecccccsences 20 37, 000 
Above Indian Point ........ccsececescaseccseees 30 |....-n00e- 21, 000 
Total ..2ecccecceseorececease aascecneetasese 172 20| 730, 600 | 
A few of the alewives are consumed fresh and a very small number salted (in 1880 only 17 
barrels), 95 per cent. are smoked, and the most of these are disposed of in local markets. 
Shad.—Nearly everything that can be said about shad in the Penobscot is of a historical 
character, and will be found on another page. At the present time the catch of shad is an inci- 
dent, and a very unimportant one, of the weir-fishery for salmon and alewives. Only 800 were taken 
in 1880, as ascertained by careful inquiry. 
Smelts—The fishery for smelts ranks in importance next to that for salmon, the aggregate 
product being 266,875 pounds, valued at $14,579. It is carried on by means of weirs, bag-nets, 
and hook and line. 
The weir fishery for smelts is confined to 4 small weirs, built in Eastern River and the Thor- 
oughfare. 
The bag-net fishery is the branch by which by far the greater part of the smelts are taken. 
It is confined to a few localities, mainly Eastern River and the Thoroughfare, the main river frem 
Winterport to Mill Creek (South Orrington), and Marsh River, in Frankfort. The style of the 
