The Salmon Fishery of Penobscot Bay and River in 1895-96 | Page 8

been very poor, although the fish
constituting them are of large size, while the runs in May and June have
kept up, but have consisted chiefly of comparatively small fish. In this

the fishermen believe they see evidence of the work of the hatchery, for
the young salmon artificially hatched have been from eggs of May and
June fish, and the fishermen think that such young fish, when they
return to the river to spawn, will come at about the same time that their
parents did.
Many salmon fishermen might be quoted on the question of results of
propagation. A few sample statements and records of salmon taken will
be given covering different parts of the bay and river.
Mr. Francis French, an experienced salmon fisherman of Stockton, on
the western side of Penobscot Bay, reports that of the 61 salmon taken
in his weir in 1896, 56 were under 11 pounds in weight, and all
evidently belonged to the same year's brood. In 1895 the 29 salmon
obtained by Mr. French averaged 20 pounds each. According to his
observations, a very large percentage of the salmon in the Penobscot
region in 1896 were hatchery fish that then entered the river for the first
time.
Mr. A. H. Whitmore, a salmon fisherman of over thirty years'
experience, who fishes three weirs off the southern end of Whitmore
Island, states that in that part of the river the catch in 1896 was the
largest in thirty years, with the exception of one season. He thinks there
is no doubt whatever of the beneficial results of artificial propagation,
as shown by the maintenance of the supply when obstructions to the
passage of salmon to the upper waters must greatly curtail natural
spawning.
Mr. Joseph Hurd, of Winterport, has two weirs at Oak Point, which is
the upper limit of weir fishing for salmon on the west side of the river;
the nets are about 12 miles below Bangor; 25 salmon were taken in
1895, and 60 in the following year. The catch was better in 1896 than
in a number of years. Eight years before, Mr. Hurd took 140 salmon,
which was the best season in his experience; since then the fish have
been decreasing until 1896. He thinks very few fish get to their
spawning-grounds, owing to dams and other obstructions in the river
above Bangor, and has no doubt the small fish which were so
conspicuous in 1896 were from the Government hatchery.

Mr. William F. Abbott, of Verona, who has two weirs on Whitmore
Island, caught 41 salmon in 1895, and 80 in 1896. He makes the
following statement:
"In my opinion, there would not enough salmon come into the river to
pay for building weirs if there had been no salmon artificially hatched;
and I hope the Government will continue to keep the salmon fishing up,
so it will pay to build our weirs. No person that knows anything about
it can doubt that it is a good thing for the fishermen."
Mr. Harvey Heath, of Verona, has two weirs on the eastern side of the
southern end of Whitmore Island. He caught 62 salmon in 1895, and
100 in 1896. He thinks that the removal of obstructions to the passage
of fish to their spawning-grounds would be all that is necessary to
secure a good run of fish in the river, but believes that under present
conditions the salmon-cultural work of the Government is very useful
in sustaining the fishery.
Three weirs of Mr. E. A. Bowden, located on the eastern side of
Whitmore Island, above those of Mr. Heath, took, 31 salmon in 1895,
and 85 in 1896. Mr. Bowden says:
"I think that if it was not for the hatchery we would not have any
salmon to speak of, for all the school we have is in June. April, May,
and July salmon are very scarce."
Mr. Charles G. Atkins, superintendent of the government salmon
hatchery in Orland, Me., informs the writer that he has been inclined to
believe that each year a great many salmon succeed in reaching their
spawning grounds; but recent observations have caused him to change
his mind, and he is now of the opinion that only relatively few salmon
elude the traps, weirs, and gill nets, surmount the dams and fishways,
escape the poachers, and succeed in depositing their eggs under
conditions favorable to their development. The dam at Bangor, while
certainly a formidable obstruction to the passage of fish, is probably
passable at high water. It is provided with a fishway, and some fish are
known to surmount the dam by this means. Above Bangor, in the main
river, there are dams at Great Works and Montague, the dam at

Montague being an especially serious obstruction, although it is
provided with a