ALEWIFE FISHING.
HAS QUICK PROFITS. j At Damariscotta Mills, Me., is the largest alewife fishery on the New England coast. Every spring the alewives come from the sea into the Damariscotta River, jump the falls and make theiT way through the quick water of its narrow basin into the fresh water lakes above, where they deposit their spawn.
When they start to return to the sea again they find their course has been diverted into narrow sluiceways, where nets scoop them out by thousands.. They are then smoked, salted, packed into barrels and shipped away.
As many as 6000 barrels have been taken in the shore season of four or live weeks while the run is on. Last spring the workers of the little village received more than £500 in wages in that period.
A time-honoured custom followed at each Bpring run is that of giving to every widow of the community a string of 200 alewives. Thpso 1 hey may salt for their own use, or dispose of them from £1 to £1 5/ in cash.
Almost all of the salted alewives go to Haiti. Traders use them for barter, and it is said that the Haitian negroes will exchange their dearest possessions for them.
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Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 77, 31 March 1928, Page 11 (Supplement)
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206ALEWIFE FISHING. Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 77, 31 March 1928, Page 11 (Supplement)
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