MAINE SARDINE INDUSTRY. A 
(d) flaking, as the process of distributing the fish upon the flakes for 
drying is termed; (e) steaming; (f) dryimg; (g) packing the fish in 
the cans; (h) introduction of oil into the cans; (2) sealing the cans; 
(j) processing or sterilization of the sealed cans; (4) testing the cans 
after processing; (2) 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(1) 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 intertwining 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 wellas below. Itis 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 (Pl. H, 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. I, 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, 
