Bulletin of the US Fish Commission 1889

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BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION 1889
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GIANT SCALLOP FISHERY OF MAINE

SECTION C. THE FISHERY.

7. Origin, Development and Present Condition
In the numerous accounts of the scallop fishery contained in "The Fisheries and Fishery Industries of the United States," there is no reference to this industry in Maine, and it may, therefore, be assumed that in 1879 and 1880, the years embraced by that work and prior thereto, the species was unknown as an economic product. (Note 6) Inquiry has failed to disclose the whereabouts of the giant scallop fishery referred to by Ingersoll (Note 7), which was discontinued on account of the depletion of the beds brought about by excessive dredging; but it is well known that in certain localities this species of scallop has been used for local consumption for many years.

The existence of large beds of the giant scallop on the coast of Maine, accompanied by an appreciation of their commercial value, became known to fishermen at a number of isolated places about the same time. From numerous inquiries among the fisher men along different portions of the coast, it would appear that in no locality is the fishery more than five or six years old, while in most of the centers it has been carried on less than three years, as will appear from the following history of its origin in the various sections:

Beginning at the east, the towns in the waters adjacent to which the scallop fishery is or has been prosecuted, are Tremont, Mount Desert, Deer Isle, Sedgwick, Brooksville, Castine, Wiscasset, Edgecomb, Newcastle, Westport, Boothbay, and Georgetown.

(Note 6) In his monograph on the scallop fishery, in volume 2 of section v of the above report, Mr. Ingersoll says (p. 570):

"The splendid large Pecten islandica, which formerly abounded on the coast of Maine and in the Bay of Fundy, is now so nearly extinct that it has become a prize to the conchologist. This came about entirely through excessive raking and dredging for them."

(Note 7) It is suggested that Mr. Ingersoll was probably referring to P. magellanicus and not P. Islandicus, which is a species inhabiting very deep water and never the object of a fishery, or but sparingly used for food, so far as known. This view is borne out by the fact that in a subsequent paper on "The Scallop and its Fishery," published by Mr. Ingersoll in the American Naturalist (1886), substantially the same thought is expressed, P. tenuicostatus being substituted for P. islandicus.

On the western side of Mount Desert Island, in the town of the same name, the fishery for scallops originated in 1884. It was inaugurated by vessels coming from the

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westward and, at first, using an oyster dredge, and later the more effective form of apparatus which has since been generally adopted by the fishermen of this -and other localities. The first trials were made in the deep water in the vicinity of Bartlett's Island; Pretty Marsh, and Mount Desert. It would appear that prior to the advent of these vessels the fishermen of Mount Desert were unaware of the existence of scallop beds in their vicinity, or at least of scallops in sufficient numbers to warrant their shipment to distant markets, although, according to Mr. VV. W. A. Heath, the efficient and accommodating customs officer at South West Harbor, the line fishermen in the vicinity of Mount Desert Island had for years frequently brought up scallops that had by chance become attached to their hooks. In the winter of 1885-'86 the native fishermen became interested, and as many as twenty men from Bartlett's Island and Pretty Marsh were regularly engaged in taking scallops for the New York market. From that date the fishery declined somewhat, owing, it is said, to the exhaustion of certain of the beds incident to overfishing. In 1887 but four men gave attention to it, and in 1888 and 1889 only seven.

In Tremont the fishery sprung into existence about the same time as in Mount Desert, probably as a result of the same impetus. It is now followed from The Center, West Tremont, or Goose Cove, and Bass Harbor, the fishermen frequenting grounds near Bartlett's Island and other localities south of that place. The number of men engaged in the fishery in the town has decreased during the past few years, there being thirty-one in 1887, twenty-three in 1888, and eighteen in 1889.

The winter of 1886-'87 witnessed the beginning of a scallop fishery at Little Deer Isle which was destined to become the most important fishery of the kind in the State. In 1886 a vessel from Portland visited the grounds off the southern shore of the island; and during that year took considerable quantities of scallops. The native fishermen quickly appreciated the commercial value of their beds, and in 1887 no less than twenty-six persons were regularly engaged in the fishery. More than 5,000 bushels were the result of the first year's operations. Since then the industry has more than doubled in importance, and in 1889 the yield was more than one-fourth that of all other localities combined, although the output of the numerous towns on the Sheepscot River, considered collectively, was considerably larger than that of Little Deer Isle.

The existence of giant scallops in the vicinity of Castine has long been known. Men are still alive who remember to have taken scallops as many as forty or sixty years ago. The town has had a more or less regular local supply for about forty years.

Twenty-six years ago, as the writer is informed by Mr. Vogell, a man attempted to make a business of peddling scallops among the people living in places remote from the fishery; but the fine edible qualities of the mollusk were not appreciated by them, and the venture was abandoned. About 1876, the Castine Packing Company undertook to put scallops on the market in a canned condition, as is now so commonly done with clams in many localities on the coast of Maine. It is said that the company was unable to properly preserve the thick, solid meats, and the effort was abortive. Six years ago, however, the attempt was renewed and was in a measure successful. It was found that by previously frying the meats they could be canned without difficulty, but the method was considered too costly and was not put to much practical use; and the fishery, which would otherwise have been maintained by home demand, was diverted to supply distant markets. ------------------------------------------------

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The business of taking scallops for shipment to western cities began in the fall of 1884. In the early history of the industry the shipment of 50 gallons of meats in one day was considered very large. Since then the fishery has grown uninterruptedly and reached large proportions, and at times during the past five years as many as 1,000 gallons have been in one day shipped from Castine by the fishermen of that town and Cape Rosier, while the yearly output in favorable years is over 5,000 gallons.

Twenty-four men were engaged in this fishery in 1889, a larger number than had previously been employed in the town in any one year.

The fishermen of Cape Rosier frequent waters similar or adjacent to those of Little Deer Isle, and became interested in the fishery about the same time. From thirty-one to thirty-six persons have followed the business each year, the number in 1889 being larger than in any previous season.

Two fishermen from Sedgwick plied their operations in 1888 and 1889 on the same grounds visited by the Little Deer Isle fishermen., but did not engage in the fishery prior thereto.

The history of the scallop fishery in the Sheepscot River dates from 1887. It is stated that the existence of beds was accidentally ascertained by scallops becoming entangled in lobster traps. The discovery was immediately put to practical use. A fisherman of the town of Westport made a dredge adapted to bringing up scallops, and operated it with gratifying results in the river opposite that place. Within a short time other boats were fitted out from the various towns on the river, and the fishery was established on quite a large scale. Two years' steady work on the extensive beds has failed to deplete them, and it seems probable that, with proper forethought on the part of the fishermen, the grounds will not be exhausted for many years, although the conditions for the perpetuation of a profitable fishery are not so favorable as would be afforded by deeper and less circumscribed beds.

The principal fishing is now done by fishermen of Boothbay, Westport, Southport, Edgecomb, and Georgetown. The business has also engaged irregularly and to a very small extent a few fishermen from Newcastle and Wiscasset. In 1889 sixty-four persons followed the fishery, of whom more than a third were from Boothbay. The number of fishermen has increased each year since the inauguration of the fishery; and the quantity of scallops taken in 1889 was larger than the output of any other locality.

There can be no doubt that large undiscovered beds of scallops exist, especially in the deeper waters, on various portions of the Maine coast, that will from time to time be discovered and become available when the present sources of supply are exhausted. The indefatigable "down East" fisherman will not be long in finding new grounds and applying improved methods of capture when the occasion requires, and the perpetuation of this profitable and unique fishery will be secured.

The following ingenious explanation of the presence of scallops on the coast of Maine is from the Bucksport (Maine) Clipper of December 3, 1885:

The scallop found in such large quantities now along the coast of Maine is not an indigenous bivalve. It was brought here by the early French settlers and planted (in the sea) near their abodes. Its original home may have been the Gulf of St. Lawrence, near the Labrador coast, and Straits of Belle Isle, and perhaps some came from the coast of France. It ought and is to be found the most plentiful near the sites of the old French settlements, such as Castine, Mount Desert, etc., which corroborates the above assertion.

This extract is reproduced simply to correct any impressions it. may have made

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Bull. 1T. S. F. C. 89-21

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BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION.

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in the community that the French were responsible for the planting of scallops, which, prior to this feat in artificial propagation, were not, according to this account, found on the Maine coast. That this is a fallacy can readily be shown by citing the existence of this species in a fossil state from Labrador to Virginia, and of large areas covered with the scallop along the whole Atlantic coast as far south as Cape Hatteras, there being no evidence to, show that they were originally brought from the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the Straits of Belle Isle, or any other place.

It is quite plausible no doubt that the early French colonists on the Maine coast took up scallops from the deeper waters and for convenience planted them nearer their settlements, but it seems altogether out of the question that they should have transported live scallops from Labrador and even from France to Maine, and so formed the vast beds that now exist off the coast of the United States.

8. APPARATUS AND METHODS OF CAPTURE.

The form of apparatus now in general use in taking scallops resembles in some respects a small oyster dredge, and is called a dredge or scoop by the fishermen. It differs from the oyster dredge in certain features, however, which an inspection of the accompanying figure will readily suggest. The size of the dredge varies somewhat with the locality, but the figure and the following description may be regarded as applying to a dredge of average dimensions.

The essential parts of a scallop dredge are the handle or "pull-bail", the iron frame forming the mouth of the dredge, and the pocket into which the mollusks are received.

The handle or "pull-bail" consists of two iron bars, which come together at the top and form an eye in which the rope or warp is fastened. The eye is 4 or 5 feet from the mouth of the dredge. Towards the mouth the bars divide and go to the four corners of the rectangular iron frame to which the bagging is attached, and are riveted firmly, so that no motion is permitted. The division of the bars is for strength.

The framework forming the mouth of the dredge is composed of flat iron bars 1J inches wide and one-fourth of an inch thick. The bars are fastened together as shown in the figure, and form an aperture 3 feet 3 inches by 9 inches. The bagging is fastened to the frame by means of holes made in its inner edge.

The lower side of the pocket consists of iron rings of sufficient size to permit the smaller unmarketable scallops to slip through. Usually the rings are 2J to 4 inches in diameter. The top and sides of the pocket are made of marline and cod lines.

This arrangement of iron and twine is necessary in order to prevent the dredge from rapidly wearing out. The inferior portion is subjected to rough usage in being dragged over the rough bottoms on which the scallops are found, and a bagging other than that described would be unfit for the purpose.

That part of the pocket made of netting serves simply to confine the scallops, and is not required to be of metal, which, in addition to being more expensive, would also add greatly to the weight of the dredge and the consequent difficulty of operating it. The pocket is 4 feet in depth and in width corresponds with that of the framework. It has a capacity for about two hundred scallops.

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