The rapid increase in the catch of this crustacean during the past ten
years has drawn upon it the most earnest attention of all interested
in the preservation of this valuable fishery. If the "berried" or
female lobster bearing eggs, and the young and immature, were let
alone by the fishermen there would be no necessity for a resort to
artificial lobster culture. Maine has a most stringent law forbidding
the taking and selling of "berried" lobsters, and of any lobster under
10-1/2 inches in length, but this law is evaded by numerous fishermen
whenever possible. An idea of the extent to which short lobsters are
marketed in the State may be gathered from the statement of Mr. A. R.
Nickerson, commissioner of sea and shore fisheries for the State,
that in 1899 over 50,000 short lobsters were seized and liberated by
the State wardens. As these wardens only discover a small proportion
of the short lobsters handled by the fishermen and dealers it is
easy to see what a terrible drain this is on the future hope of the
fishery--the young and immature. Large numbers of "berried" lobsters
are also captured, the eggs brushed off, and the lobsters sold as
ordinary female lobsters.
The Report of the U. S. Fish Commission for 1897, on pages 235 and
236, contains the following account of the artificial propagation of
lobsters:
Prior to 1885 experiments had been conducted at various points
looking to the artificial propagation of the lobster. The only
practical attempts of this nature previous to those made by the
Fish Commission were by means of "parking," that is, holding in
large naturally inclosed basins lobsters that had been injured,
soft-shelled ones, and those below marketable size. Occasionally
females with spawn were placed in the same inclosures. One of
these parks was established in Massachusetts in 1872, but was
afterwards abandoned; another was established on the coast of
Maine about 1875. It was soon demonstrated, however, that the
results from inclosures of this character, so far as the rearing
of the lobsters from the young were concerned, would not be
sufficient to materially affect the general supply. The completion
of the new marine laboratory and hatchery at Woods Hole in 1885,
with its complete system of salt-water circulation, permitted the
commencement of experiments in artificial hatching on a large
scale which had not been practicable theretofore, although small
quantities of lobster eggs, as well as those of other crustaceans,
had been successfully hatched. In 1886 the experiments had
progressed so successfully that several million eggs were
collected and hatched at Woods Hole, the fry being deposited in
Vineyard Sound and adjacent waters. From 1887 to 1890, inclusive,
the number of eggs collected was 17,821,000.
During the above years the average production of fry was about 54
per cent. By the use of more improved apparatus the average was
brought up to 90 per cent in 1897, when the collections amounted
to 150,000,000 eggs, of which 135,000,000 were hatched. As the
commissioner of sea and shore fisheries of Maine objected to the
taking of female lobsters in that State and the planting of part, at
least, of the resulting fry in other waters, an arrangement was made
in 1898 by which all female lobsters and the fry hatched out from the
eggs secured from these would be returned to the State waters. Under
this arrangement 2,365 "berried" lobsters were bought from the Maine
fishermen by the U. S. Fish Commission. From these 25,207,000 eggs
were taken and 22,875,000 fry were hatched. Of these, 21,500,000 were
deposited in Maine waters at various points. In 1899, 36,925,000 fry
were planted in Maine waters by the Commission. In order that the
female lobsters may be secured the authorities of Maine permit the
fishermen to catch and sell "berried" lobsters to the Commission.
The collection of eggs in Maine is usually made by the Commission
during the months of April, May, June, and to about the middle of
July, depending upon the supply to be had. During the season of 1899 a
small steam smack was chartered for collecting the lobsters, starting
from Gloucester, where the hatching of Maine lobster eggs is now
carried on, and running to Eastport, returning over the same route.
The Fish Commission schooner _Grampus_ was also used in this work.
The lobsters are purchased from fishermen, who receive the market
price for ordinary lobsters, and as they are not allowed to sell
these lobsters legally for consumption the sale to the Commission
materially increases their financial returns.
In 1883 a radical advance along the line of artificial propagation
was made, so far as the legislature was concerned, when the act
incorporating the Samoset Island Association, of Boothbay, was passed.
Section 4 of the charter reads as follows:
In order to secure a sufficient and regular supply of lobsters for
domestic consumption on any land or islands under the control of
said corporation, it may increase the number of lobsters within
said limits by artificial propagation, or other appropriate acts
and methods, under the direction of the fishery commission, and
shall not be interfered with by other parties, but be protected
therein, as said fishery commission may determine, and shall have
the right, by its agents and tenants, to take and catch lobsters
within 300 yards of the low-water line of the islands and lands
owned or leased by said corporation, during each and every month,
for domestic use.
In 1887 the legislature passed an act granting R. T. Carver the sole
right to propagate lobsters in Carver's pond, Vinalhaven. Mr. Carver's
experiment was a failure, as he says the mud in the pond was so filthy
that nearly all the spawn was killed.