As the supply of lobsters on the Maine coast began to decrease shortly before 1870, while the demand for canned lobsters increased at an enormous rate, the dealers began to establish canneries on the coasts of the British provinces. As the decline in the supply was attributed to the canneries, a sentiment against them was gradually formed, and laws were enacted regulating the time in which they could operate and the size of the lobsters they could put up. Prior to 1879 they were permitted to pack lobsters at any season of the year, but they usually operated only between April 1 and August 1, and again between the 10th or middle of September and the 1st of December, the length of the season depending very largely upon the weather and the abundance of lobsters. In 1879 it was enacted that no canning of lobsters should be allowed from August 1 to April 1 following. In 1883 it was made illegal to can lobsters less than 9 inches in length. In 1885 the canning season was fixed from April 1 to July 15. In 1889 the season was fixed from May 1 to July 1, and the minimum length of lobsters to be canned placed at 9 inches. In 1891 this act was so amended as to make the season from April 20 to June 1. After 1880 the number of canneries gradually declined, until in 1895 the last one suspended the canning, of lobsters, owing to the passage of a law fixing the minimum size at 10-1/2 inches. This law went into effect July 1, 1895. As they could not afford to pay the high price demanded for this size they were compelled to give up the business. The following table shows the number of factories in operation, the quantity and value of fresh lobsters used, and the number and value of cans of lobsters put up, in the years 1880, 1889, and 1892: 1880 1889 1892 ------------- ------------- -------------- No. Value No. Value No. Value --- ----- --- ----- --- ----- Number of canneries 23 20 11 Lobsters used, fresh lbs. 9,494,284 $95,000 5,752,654 $72,092 9,494,284 $95,000 Canned One-lb cans 1,542,696 999,521 126,577 1,228,944 195,114 Two-lb cans 148,704 85,520 16,036 3,096 839 Other sizes 139,801 --------- ------- --------- ------- --------- ------- Total cans 1,831,201 238,280 1,085,041 142,613 1,232,040 195,953 Part of the lobsters used in the Eastport factories come from New Brunswick. It is impossible to separate them. ABUNDANCE, ETC.