Innovative advances in technology are often that which allow for economic growth. In the case of Maine’s lobstering industry, the smack, or a boat with open holding wells on the deck, was the first innovative technology that allowed for the expansion of the lobstering market (http://umaine.edu/lobsterinstitute/education/lobstering-basics/history/). This new technology allowed for the transportation of living lobsters to new markets. However, as a result of this development, new demands, competition and pressures were brought upon the area. Such competition was initially most relevant in the form of competition between in-state and out-of-state lobstermen. With the export of the lobster catches causing an exodus of profits, out-of-state …show more content…
By the 1920s, the scrubbing of egg-bearing females, i.e. removing the eggs, and the illegal shorts market diminished the lobster population so severely that the catch was a mere 13.2 million pounds or half of what it was in 1889 (Capturing the Commons). Such small harvests led Commissioner H.D. Crie to briefly close the fisheries. Backlash from his actions was overwhelming as many believed that it was a conspiracy to flood the market with the ‘cheap’ Canadian lobster. Despite criticism, the Commissioner worked tirelessly to improve the conditions of the lobster industry by rallying Congress to prevent the import of Canadian lobsters as they were sold at a much lower price which only further depressed the price of Maine lobsters which were already severely diminished by the effects of the Great Depression. He also began campaigning to promote the increased consumption of lobster in order to improve overall …show more content…
By this point, there was little to do but introduce new legislation requiring alterations to lobstering practices. In collusion with his ally Senator Look from Maine’s state legislature, Commissioner Crie began an aggressive campaign in favor of a double gauge law. This new law would reduce the minimum size of lobsters that could be harvested and introduce a maximum size (of the carapace) for harvestable lobsters to 3.16”/8.03cm and 4.5”/11.43cm respectively. The former allowed for more sales and the latter protected the broodstock necessary to increase the overall population of the lobsters. Legislation of this type was considered to be an extremely progressive piece of legislation. The poor state of the fishery was, perhaps, the only reason for its