Penobscot River
Excerpt from Maine Fisheries Commissioners Report, 1884:
"We this year have subscribed to the Orland works $1,000 for salmon
eggs to be hatched and used for stocking and replenishing the rivers of
Maine. These will be sent to our various hatching houses, and distributed,
in the spring of 1884, to waters where the wretched custom of throwing in
shingle waste and saw dust, and the ever present poacher, prevents the natural
product of the fish being equal to the requirement of the rivers. The catch
of salmon in the Penobscot river for the year is reported to us from official
sources as good, in numbers less, in amount or weight greater than last
year. It is our opinion that a larger number of salmon than formerly, go
directly up the river on the spring run of water; the fish have learned
the route, have become wonted to the new path of the fishways provided for
them and the less interrupted routes afforded by a full volume of water.
Salmon have been seen far up the East Branch in small tributaries where
hitherto unknown for years. It will be remembered that but few years since
netting on the East Branch was abandoned as producing but one fish a season
at Hunt Farm. After fish planting was introduced, the product rose to one
hundred; then followed hundreds. Dynamite was the discovery of the insatiable
greed of the poacher, and gave twenty-five fish from one pool. Thus has
been met the good results of the commissioner's efforts in stream and forest.
Fish and game have been swept off by wholesale to feed the drunken debauchery
of a vile crew of worthless poachers, who would strip the whole State to
nurse their lazy profligacy; a "class" to use the words of one
of the most reputable citizens of one of our thriving up-river towns, "who
are never at work unless when stealing, who will expend more time in backing
hoop poles or stealing ship knees from a proprietor's timber tract than
would earn a generous livelihood if spent in honest toil." Netting
is now forbidden above tide water as a necessary measure to preserve the
remnant of our fish. We earnestly solicit our Legislature for the penalty
of a term in the State Prison at hard labor as the punishment for using
dynamite, or any explosive material in any of our waters for the taking
of fish of any description. Nothing less can prevent their utter destruction."
Source: State of Maine Public Documents, Vol. 1. 1884. Maine State Archives.
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