Part 2

Detailed statistics for 1895 and 1896.

The following tables show, by townships, the extent of the salmon fishery of Penobscot Bay and River in 1895 and 1896:

TABLE. Persons Employed

Towns | 1895 1896 | --------------------------| ---- ---- | Brooksville (Cape Rosier) | 4 2 | Bucksport | 10 9 | Camden | 2 2 | Castine | 3 2 | Hampden | 1 1 | Islesboro | 7 6 | Lincolnville | 7 7 | Matinicus & Ragged Islands| 4 8 | Northport | 7 6 | Orland | 17 22 | Orrington | 5 5 | Penobscot | 16 15 | Searsport | 3 2 | South Brewer | 2 2 | Stockton and Prospect | 17 15 | Verona | 21 21 | Winterport | 7 8 | | --- --- | Total | 133 133 |

TABLE. Apparatus, boats, etc.

| Weirs and traps.* | Gill nets. | | | | | 1895 1896 | 1895 1896 | | --------- --------- | --------- --------- | | No. Value No. Value | No. Value No. Value | | --- ----- --- ----- | --- ----- --- ----- | Brooksville (Cape Rosier)| 7 $420 4 $240 | 0 | Bucksport | 13 511 11 455 | | Camden | 5 200 5 200 | | Castine | 4 252 3 201 | | Hampden | | 2 $26 2 $26 | Islesboro | 17 925 16 875 | | Lincolnville | 12 650 14 700 | | Matinicus and | | | Ragged Islands | 1 1,000 2 2,500 | | Northport | 15 1,155 12 1,005 | | Orland | 19 664 26 888 | | Orrington | 2 99 2 99 | 5 58 5 58 | Penobscot | 24 1,587 22 1,421 | | Searsport | 4 213 3 152 | | South Brewer | | 3 105 3 105 | Stockton and Prospect | 26 1,530 20 1,183 | | Verona | 37 2,801 37 2,760 | | Winterport | 7 467 7 467 | 1 10 | | --- ------ --- ------ | -- --- -- --- | Total | 193 12,474 184 13,146 | 10 189 11 199 |

*Includes accessories

| Boats and scows. | Total | | | investment. | | 1895 1896 | | | --------- --------- | 1895 1896 | | No. Value No. Value | | | --- ----- --- ----- | ---- ---- | Brooksville (Cape Rosier)| 3 $30 2 $20 | $450 $260 | Bucksport | 16 270 14 238 | 781 693 | Camden | 2 45 2 45 | 245 245 | Castine | 5 25 4 20 | 277 221 | Hampden | 1 12 1 12 | 38 38 | Islesboro | 7 94 6 79 | 1,019 954 | Lincolnville | 7 132 7 117 | 782 817 | Matinicus and | | | Ragged Islands | 2 75 5 195 | 1,075 2,695 | Northport | 8 163 7 138 | 1,318 1,143 | Orland | 25 467 32 535 | 1,131 1,423 | Orrington | 2 11 2 11 | 168 168 | Penobscot | 30 436 28 413 | 2,023 1,834 | Searsport | 6 145 4 125 | 358 277 | South Brewer | 1 6 1 6 | 111 111 | Stockton and Prospect | 33 413 31 383 | 1,943 1,566 | Verona | 35 1,100 36 1,110 | 3,901 3,870 | Winterport | 10 181 11 189 | 648 666 | | --- ------ --- ------ | -- --- -- --- | Total | 192 3,605 193 3,636 | 16,268 16,981 |

TABLE. Catch | 1895 | 1896 | |-----------------------|-----------------------| | No. of Weight | No. of Weight | Towns | salmon (pounds) Value | salmon (pounds) Value | --------------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------| Brooksville (Cape Rosier) | 163 2,092 $283 | 146 1,626 $190 | Bucksport | 205 2,885 448 | 245 2,729 471 | Camden | 64 964 136 | 71 990 139 | Castine | 77 1,150 207 | 93 1,166 156 | Hampden | 30 510 102 | 32 448 90 | Islesboro | 474 6,551 1,042 | 643 8,265 1,313 | Lincolnville | 205 3,240 583 | 297 3,503 525 | Matinicus & Ragged Islands| 65 780 109 | 182 1,627 175 | Northport | 286 4,066 697 | 418 5,401 810 | Orland | 78 1,077 202 | 152 1,802 306 | Orrington | 65 1,101 165 | 82 1,150 161 | Penobscot | 485 7,270 1,313 | 959 12,483 1,992 | Searsport | 458 7,278 1,456 | 426 5,112 818 | South Brewer | 63 1,071 161 | 170 2,380 309 | Stockton and Prospect | 629 10,067 1,713 | 829 10,471 1,590 | Verona | 908 12,555 2,337 | 1,421 17,761 3,172 | Winterport | 140 2,354 402 | 237 3,311 499 | | ----- ------ ----- | ----- ------ ------ | Total | 4,395 65,011 11,356 6,403 80.175 12,716 |

Comparative data relative to the salmon fishery.

In 1880 the catch of salmon in Penobscot Bay and River and their tributaries was 10,016, having an estimated weight of 110,176 pounds. The weirs and traps used numbered 230; the gill nets, 36. The fishery yielded 169,894 pounds, valued at $32,800, in 1887; 192,177 pounds, worth $38,049, in 1888; 140,469 pounds, valued at $31,156, in 1889, and 92,282 pounds, worth $19,124, in 1892.

As previously shown, in 1895 193 traps and 10 gill nets took 4,395 salmon, weighing 65,011 pounds, valued at $11,356, and in 1896, 184 traps and 11 gill nets caught 6,403 salmon, weighing 80,175 pounds, valued at $12,716.

Comparing 1896 with 1880, it appears that there was a reduction of 27 per cent in the number of nets used and a decrease of 36 per cent in the number of salmon caught. A relatively large catch was made in 1887 to 1889, inclusive, and the decrease in 1896, as compared with those years, was marked. From 1892 to 1895 the output declined nearly 30 per cent, and the general tendency for the past eight years has been toward a decrease, 1896 presenting a very pleasing contrast, of which the fishermen all make mention.

Following is a continuous record from 1874 to 1896 of two of the most successful salmon weirs. These are located on the east side of the river, in the town of Penobscot, a short distance from the southern end of Whitmore Island. The number of salmon taken in 1896 was 20 per cent greater than in any previous year and over 93 per cent greater than the average for the preceding 22 years. Similar comparative statements for other nets are at hand, showing the increase in 1896 over previous seasons.

TABLE. Record of two Penobscot River salmon weirs, from 1874 to 1896, inclusive.

| Date | Date of | Date of | Total | Aggre- | Avg | | when ice | catching| catching | number | gate | weight | | ice left | first | largest no. | of |weight of| of | Year | river | salmon | of salmon | salmon | salmon | salmon | --------------------------------------------------------------------| 1874 | Apr. 20 | Apr. 30 | June 10 | 86 | 1,253 | 14.57 | 1875 | Apr. 18 | May 13 | June 15 | 70 | 908 | 12.97 | 1876 | Apr. 14 | Apr. 25 | June 17 | 68 | 1,027 | 15.10 | 1877 | Mar. 30 | Apr. 24 | June 9 | 72 | 1,002 | 13.92 | 1878 | Apr. 4 | Apr. 21 | June 26 | 151 | 2,052 | 13.52 | 1879 | Apr. 25 | May 12 | June 20 | 147 | 1,756 | 11.95 | 1880 | Apr. 9 | May 7 | May 31 | 86 | 1,111 | 12.92 | 1881 | Mar. 21 | Apr. 17 | June 9 | 85 | 1,480 | 17.41 | 1882 | Apr. 10 | May 1 | May 29 | 154 | 1,711 | 11.11 | 1883 | Apr. 13 | do | June 12 | 98 | 1,643 | 16.77 | 1884 | Apr. 9 | Apr. 29 | June 28 | 95 | 911 | 9.59 | 1885 | Apr. 19 | May 8 | June 4 | 91 | 1,104 | 12.13 | 1886 | Apr. 16 | Apr. 21 | June 2 | 100 | 1,631 | 16.31 | 1887 | Apr. 23 | May 8 | June 25 | 150 | 2.020 | 13.47 | 1888 | Apr. 15 | Apr. 29 | June 9 | 159 | 2,196 | 13.81 | 1889 | Apr. 2 | Apr. 21 | June 6 | 85 | 1,246 | 14.66 | 1890 | Apr. 7 | Apr. 20 | May 30 | 41 | 641 | 15.63 | 1891 | Apr. 2 | Apr. 28 | June 9 & 16| 117 | 1,199 | 10.25 | 1892 | do | Apr. 9 | June 5 | 65 | 989 | 15.22 | 1893 | Apr. 15 | Apr. 23 | June 10 | 102 | 1,384 | 13.57 | 1894 | Apr. 12 | Apr. 19 | June 1 & 3 | 88 | 1,160 | 13.19 | 1895 | Apr. 6 | Apr. 21 | June 3 | 75 | 1,191 | 15.88 | 1896 | Apr. 12 | Apr. 16 | June 6 | 192 | 2,524 | 13.15 |

Note.--The weirs are set one or two days after the ice moves out. Occasionally they are put in place before the ice leaves.

Apparatus and methods of the fishery.

There is probably no other river in the United States in which a fishery of such magnitude has undergone so few changes with respect to methods, number of traps operated, and sites where nets are set, as the Penobscot. This is chiefly owing (1) to the character of the bottom, (2) to the fact that the fishing is a riparian privilege enjoyed only by those who own land fronting on the water, (3) to the circumstance that the fishing is almost entirely of a semi-professional character, and has been taken up by generation after generation as a part of the regular duties connected with the small farms, and (4) to the small number of food-fishes occurring in the river, and the preponderating importance of two of them--the salmon and the alewife--for which the nets are exclusively set.

Salmon Net Types

Salmon weir, Penobscot. Leader of stakes interwoven with brush, 175 yards long. "Great pond" brush, 42 feet long. "Middle pond" and "back pond," netting with board floor, each 10 feet long. Outer entrance, 16 feet wide; middle, 2 feet; inner, 1 foot. Value, $75.

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| | | | | ----+----

Salmon weir, Bucksport. Leader, brush, 4 to 8 rods long. Middle pond, 40 feet long, 8-foot entrance; inner side, brush; outer side, twine. Pockets, twine, 10 feet long, 10-inch entrances, wooden floor. Value, $25. Some weirs have only one (upstream) pocket.

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| | | | | ----+----

"Hook weir," Orland. A brush hook, about 50 feet long and extending down stream, is built on some of the weirs. It serves the purpose of leading the fish into the net. Value, $35.

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