Commentary

Good things are happening this year in Maine’s agriculture, aquaculture, shellfish and Christmas decorations industries, because of improved farming, managing and marketing practices. At year’s end, records are expected to be broken in production of blueberries, farmed finfish, lobsters and Christmas decorations.

Think of it.

Blueberry production exploded with about 70 million pounds, breaking the 1988 record of 52.3 million pounds.

The farmed finfish or aquaculture industry, centered in the Eastport-Lubec area this fall and winter, may process nearly 4 million pounds of Atlantic salmon and trout — double the weight processed in 1989.

The 1990 lobster catch is expected to be a record, exceeding last year’s catch of 24 million pounds.

The Christmas wreath and decorations industry will far exceed the 3 million pieces produced by Mainers last year.

Blueberries were so heavy on the county’s blueberry barrens in August that one grower had to leave about 2 million pounds on the bush. The harvest ran overtime, but frost was blamed for claiming the 2 million in mid-September. Forecast for 1991? Hold onto your seats, because fruit buds for the 1991 crop are in excellent condition.

Atlantic salmon and caged trout on 41 aquaculture leases, primarily in the Eastport-Lubec area this fall, are being harvested and processed. There are 23 farm operators holding leases on 605 acres of ocean waters that extend from Eastport to Swans Island.

Ken Honey, DMR representative, said Wednesday that there were 1.89 million pounds of finfish harvested last winter, and the 1990 harvest “may be double … and the 1991 harvest could double again.” The R.J. Peacock Co. at Lubec is processing the lion’s share of the harvested fish. This winter, the Department of Marine Resources will consider granting four new lease applications. Ocean Products Inc. was awarded the first lease in 1986.

Lobsters may never again be quite as plentiful as they were in the late 1800s when thousands of live lobsters were gathered from Washington County’s tidal rocky beaches and used as fertilizer on family vegetable gardens. Yes, times have changed. In the minds of many people, lobsters are considered a luxury food item, but the crustaceans are increasing steadily in poundage and value. Last year, fishermen landed 23.4 million pounds and were paid $59.7 million.

Maine’s lobster industry was considered so important that the Legislature allowed one to be imprinted smack across the center of every auto registration plate.

A few days ago, Harry Vose of Eastport-Meddybemps dropped into the Bangor Daily News Down East Bureau and announced his concern for fishermen who were having to sell their lobsters for a record low $1.75 a pound.

“You’ll never hear me ever say, `Why doesn’t someone do something about it?”‘ he said. “I want to do something about that price that is hurting the fishermen, and I’m around doing some brainstorming to see if we can help the fishermen and the industry. I believe there is some money available that could be freed up in the Legislature to build a factory where lobster meat could be packed.”

He stirred my appetite for a story that included a kettle of steaming hot lobsters. One of the first lobster factories on the county’s coastline was at Jonesport, on a lot west of the Beals-Jonesport bridge. It was owned by William Rummery Jr., grandfather of professional radio technician Elmer Dobbin of Jonesport. Rummery came from North Lubec to operate the plant.

The largest lobster factory in Jonesport was built in 1880 by the William Underwood Co. of Boston.

My great-grandmother, Annie Victoria Drisko Beal, was employed by the company and was given the company’s limited-edition history book, “The Second Century.”

For the benefit of all lobster lovers, including Harry, the book read: “In 1844 (although not the first to do so) Mr. Underwood established a lobster cannery at Harpswell, Maine, and boiled his lobsters in an iron kettle set on a tripod on the beach. Curiously enough, in 1850 the company in Boston was packaging oysters brought from New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island and selling them successfully in competition with the Baltimore goods at $4 per dozen for one-pound and $7.50 per dozen for two-pound cans. The terms of payment in those days were prompt cash less 5 percent, or six months net.

“Other selling prices of that time are of interest. One-pound cans of peas and corn were sold by the canner at $3 per dozen, tomatoes in two-pound cans at $3.25, one-pound (cans of) lobsters brought $2.75, and salmon $4 per dozen.

“… It was during this period that the canning of fish and shellfish in Maine became an important part of the Underwood business. In 1880 they built what for those days was a large modern plant in west Jonesport, where they began the canning of sardines, and continued the canning of clams, lobsters and other fishery products.

“At about this same time, finding the demand for canned lobster increasing, a small cannery was started at Southwest Harbor on Mount Desert,” according to company’s records.

Food for thought:

The lobster industry might peek at a page from the blueberry industry’s scrapbook. Three major blueberry companies in the county have worked hard to establish modern factories that feature modern individual quick freeze tunnels and cold storage facilities requiring hundreds of employees. Those plants pay taxes that support the community and state.

Sleeping giant that it is, the lobster industry needs to wake up and muster more initiative and long-term planning to master its own success and destiny.

Creative ideas, local processing, and more innovative marketing techniques might result in an economic boost for the fishermen who are doing the lion’s share of the work and taking a bunch of physical risks every day at sea.