F. W. Collins, a Rockland dealer, had 50 lobsters in his establishment
which weighed from 10 to 18-1/2 pounds apiece. About half of these
came from Castine, in upper Penobscot Bay, and the remainder from Blue
Hill Falls, in the upper Blue Hill Bay.

The grounds in York County, at the western end of the State, were
formerly quite prolific, but the excessive fishing of the last thirty
years has very badly depleted them.



THE FISHING SEASON.

In the early days of the fishery it was customary to fish only during
the spring and fall. When the canneries went into operation they
usually worked during the spring, early summer, and fall, and as they
furnished a ready market for all the lobsters that could be caught
this came to be the principal season. At that time it was not thought
possible to do any winter fishing, owing to the cold and stormy
weather and the fact that the fishing had to be carried on generally
in the open sea.

In 1878 a law was passed limiting the canning season to the period
between April 1 and August 1. This season was frequently changed
by subsequent enactments, but rarely covered a longer period than
that fixed in the first law. As at certain places on the coast the
canneries were the only market for lobsters the fishery would cease
as soon as the canneries stopped. At other places, which were visited
by the smacks, some of the fishermen would continue fishing after the
canneries closed, selling to the smackmen. At various times a closed