There are no accurate figures showing the catch of lobsters in Maine previous to 1880. It is therefore difficult to make comparisons, and one is compelled to depend largely upon the memory of the fishermen and the statements of the canners and dealers, which the lapse of time, etc., makes rather unreliable. The numerous petitions sent to the legislature asking for restrictive laws, while possibly exaggerated at times, indicate that there were fears of the exhaustion of the fishery for some years back. It is positively known, however, that certain grounds have been almost or totally exhausted through overfishing for a number of years, while on other grounds the supply of lobsters has seriously decreased. There was a time when no lobster under 2 pounds in weight was saved by the fishermen. In later years, before there was a restriction fixing the minimum size of lobsters that could be canned, the canneries frequently used half-pound lobsters. The fixing of the minimum length of the lobsters caught at 10-1/2 inches, and the consequent closing up of the canneries, has been of incalculable benefit to the fishermen, as the young lobsters now have an opportunity to reach maturity. The table given below shows for certain years the number of pots used, the quantity of lobsters taken, with their value, also the average catch and value per man, the average catch per pot, and the average price per pound: Average Average Average Average Catch catch stock catch price Fisher- ---------------- per per per per Year men Pots Pounds Value man man pot pound ---- --- ---- ------ ----- --- --- --- ----- pounds pounds cents 1880 1,843 104,456 14,234,182 $268,739 7,723 $146 136 1.9 1887 1,906 113,299 22,916,642 512,044 12,023 269 202 2.2 1888 1,967 112,632 21,694,731 515,880 11,029 267 193 2.4 1889 2,080 121,140 25,001,351 574,165 12,020 276 206 2.3 1892 2,628 153,043 17,642,677 663,043 6,713 252 117 3.8 1898 3,099 155,978 11,183,294 992,855 3,609 320 78 8.9