Penobscot River
Petition of Elijah Johnston and others respective of fisheries of the
Penobscot River, January, 1821
"To the honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the State
of Maine in Legislature assembled
We the undersigned Petitioners ask leave respectfully to say that whereas
the fish called Salmon, Shad and Alewives have been a great source of Publick
benefit to the inhabitants in the Neighborhood of Penobscot River generally
until about the ten years last and we think would have continued a never
failing Benefit had it not been for the unreasonable Distruction of said
fish in the said waters of said River by the inhabitants of the adjacent
shores annually building a very great number of what is called Patent or
circular wears together with using a great number of very long Drift and
Settnets but the wears in particular have distroied the Said Fish at all
Seasons of the year Both old and young fish so that they have become almost
Extinct. We your Petitioners therefore beg of your honourable assembly to
take the Subject into your wise consideration and inact Such Laws relative
to the same as you in your wisdom may think the Publick Good requires and
as in duty bound will Ever Pray --"
Elijah Johnston and 18 others.
(several listed as from Hampden)
Source: Maine State Archives. Legislative GY. Box 6. File 20.
[Records indicate the "Patent" weir mentioned above was introduced
to the Penobscot river fishery about 1811 by Harnley Emerson of Phippsburg.]
Petition of Oliver Parker and others respecting the fisheries of the
Penobscot River, Feb. 1821
"To the Hon. Senate and House of Representatives for the State of Maine
We the subscribers Citizens of Frankfort ask leave to represent that the
Inhabitants of this town are much interested in the Salmon, Shad and Alewive
fishery on Penobscot river. We are of opinion that the run of fish is much
more obstructed by drift nets than by wears. The law is often violated by
fishing with one net at the bottom of another. The great bodies of fish
if left to themselves would ascend by keeping the channel of the river.
The wings of which large bodies extend into the eddies and over the flats
and lose a part by being taken in wears while the main body would progress.
Nets of great length and in great numbers drift in the channel, and keep
the large bodies of fish in continued disturbance. We are of opinion that
the run of fish is improving since the operation of the late laws directing
that wears be demolished after the 4th of July, which preserves the young
schools on their return. This was most apparent the season past in relation
to Salmon and Alewives. We therefore pray that our equal fish with wears
may not be taken from us to improve the right of others."
Oliver Parker and 82 others.
Source: Maine State Archives. Legislative GY. Box 8. File 6.
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