This past week was marked with quotable quotes, and perhaps the best campaign speech — one that assured election — was made at a local town meeting. And one always can find a few chuckles in reviewing court documents.

The best place in all the world to pick up some quotable, and not so quotable, quotes is at the annual Fishermen’s Forum when lobster trap limits are being discussed.

I have been covering the coastal beat for 19 years and the debate always is the same. Bureaucrats come up with surveys and studies that either the fishermen themselves want trap limits; or scientific data that suggests if trap limits are not imposed the lobster industry will go down the tubes.

But when these hearings are held there are more arguments against limits from fishermen than voices of support.

Lobstermen are an independent lot. They don’t want bureaucrats telling them they can’t fish as many traps as they can physically or financially afford. They argue that Maine already has more conservation measures than any other state. Who can argue that the resource isn’t healthy when 24 million pounds were landed last year, the most in a decade.

But there was one method of trap limits that was even supported by some opponents. That was to charge $1,000 for a lobster license as opposed to the current $53. This theoretically would weed out the hated part-timers. Maybe a better way would be to keep the minimal license fee and charge so much per trap.

But back to the quotes. One proponent of limits reminded lobstermen there also used to be an abundance of haddock, cod and halibut, but “It was made economically feasible to destroy the industry.”

Or how about the veteran lobstermen who had cut back on his string because age had taken away the desire and ability. “You don’t need trap limits. Mother Nature will take care of it for you.”

Another speaker opposed to limits had a couple of good quotes: “Why are we here firing bullets when we don’t have any targets?” and “When the government tells you `We’re going to save you,’ then that’s when you’re dead.”

Russell Wolfertz Jr. gets the nod this year for the best campaign speech. He was re-elected a director of SAD 5 Monday night at the Owls Head town meeting. Before the meeting he was telling reporters that he was not a candidate for a third term. When his name came up for nomination at the meeting, Wolfertz stood to plead with his fellow residents that he had served his duty and that because of the many nights he had to be away from his family, would someone else please come forward to take this thankless job.

He made the job sound so unattractive that, of course, nobody else would accept a nomination and Wolfertz was re-elected unopposed.

Moderator Frederick Newcomb remarked that Wolfertz had given such an effective speech that it assured he would be returned to office.

This left me wondering if Russ would be paying a “happy dollar” or “sad dollar” fine at the next Kiwanis meeting. Also, have you been able to pick him out yet in that giant ERA television commercial that runs nightly on the evening local news? He’s the third from the front on the extreme right hand side of the group.

In reviewing court cases last week I came upon one in which a person was convicted of shoplifting and fined. Also part of the sentence was restitution of $48. Apparently the judge hadn’t been paying attention. He ordered that restitution be made to Zayre Department Store, which, of course, is no longer in business. Wonder who finally ended up with the $48. My guess is the defendant lucked out.