BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 173 
a pretext by certain of the more successful weir fishermen whose in- 
come from fishing during the summer was so large that they did not 
care to engage in seining. These drew up a petition, representing that 
the rights which were granted them by the license to fish their weirs, 
and for which they paid the Canadian Government, were being inter- 
fered with. This petition was met by another from the less fortunate 
weir fishermen, who were glad to improve the opportunity for catching 
and selling the herring which they had not been successful in securing 
in their weirs during the earlier months. The Government finally de- 
cided that as weir fishing had become an established industry, and a 
considerable amount of capital had been invested in it, any methods of 
fishing that would in any way break up the schools of fish, or interfere 
to any extent with the catch of the weirs, ought not to be encouraged, 
and they therefore decided to prohibit it. This regulation first went 
into operation in August, 1886, and at the present time (September 6) 
the fishermen are uncertain how rigidly it will be enforced. The 
owners of the canneries are very anxious that seining should be con- 
tinued, as without the seine-fish they think the supply will not be suffi- 
cient to keep their employes work. 
Some years ago there was a strong feeling of opposition on the part 
of the shore line and net fishermen of the State of Maine to those en- 
gaged in catching menhaden for use as oil and fertilizer. They finally 
succeeded in getting a law passed to prevent tho further fishing for 
menhaden in that State. The law was framed so as to prevent evasion 
if possible, and the fishermen now find that it was so worded as to in- 
clude not only menhaden, but mackerel and herring, and that purse- 
seining was not particularly specified, but that the broader word, sein- 
ing, was used, so that the American fishermen, as well as the Canadians, 
are prevented from catching herring in this way. A recent attempt on 
the part of an American fisherman to seine herring in Cobscook Bay 
resulted in the seizure of both seine and vessel. 
After the haul-seines had been successfully introduced the proprietor 
of one of the canneries decided to try a purse-seine. A seine 250 fath- 
oms long by 12 fathoms deep in the bunt, of 1^-inch mesh, and a small 
seine-boat, were ordered. On the arrival of the seine it was loaded 
into the boat, which was taken in tow by the small sail-vessel that cruised 
about in search of herring, the sardine-boat following after to carry 
away to the factory any fish which might be taken. The crew consisted 
of six men, one or two of them rowing about in a small boat in search 
of the herring, while the remainder staid on the vessel, waiting a sig- 
nal that the fish had been found. When a school was discovered 
the seine was set around them and the fish were secured. It occa- 
sionally happened that the fish were in too shallow water to warrant 
the pursing of the seine, in which case it was used as an ordinary haul- 
seine for dragging the fish into shoaler water. On several occasions as 
many as 50 hogsheads were obtained, while the average haul was fyom 
