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. Ale wives are sold fresh, salted, and smoked. 

 The related species, usually known as "biuebacks" 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 difiicult to cure. In the state as a whole this 

 species is less plentifid than tlie alewife previousl}" referred to, but is 

 more abundant in certain localities. 



Salmon. — The salmon fishery is prosecuted in the Penobscot River 

 and Ba}". A few salmon are taken also in the Kennebec River and 

 elsewhere along the coast. The apparatus of capture consists chiefl}' 

 of weirs, trap nets, and gill nets. Compared with 1898 the salmon 

 catch shows an increase of 7,-itt6 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 To 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 emplo3'ed 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 50,100 

 pounds, valued at $2,071, and by boats in the shore fisheries, 798,599 

 pounds, valued at $20,888. The greater part of the catch is sold fresh 

 h\ the fishermen. Since 1898 the yield has decreased slighth' in quan- 

 tity, but has increased 16.61 per cent in value. 



Smelt.—T^h.is species is the object of a verv important fisher}- 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 fisher3\ As a rule, each 

 fisherman has a shant}^ ranging in size from 4 feet square to 5 b}- 10 

 feet. In a few instances two men occupy one shanty. A small stove 

 keeps the interior comJortable, and the lines, ordinarily about 40 feet 

 long, \\\t\\ one hook, though sometimes with two, are lowered through 

 an oblong opening in the fioor 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 profita')le in some localities during the fall 

 of 1902 that an increased number of men fitted up gear for the follow- 

 ing season. 



EeU. — In some loca,lities the eel fisherj^ 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. 



