NATURE NOTES FROM ACADIA

DEEP SEA FISHING POPULAR AT ACADIA

Fishing for Cod, Haddock, Hake, and other marine fishes has become a popular weekly ranger-guided activity at Acadia National Park. Parties, which so far have averaged 13 people, leave the Public Boat Landing at 6 o'clock in the morning and are scheduled to return at noon. Allowing for an hour to and from the place of fishing, this leaves fully four hours for deep sea sport. A charge of $1.50 per person is made for hire of fishing boats.

So far the parties have returned with excellent catches, averaging approximately 30 pounds of fish per individual. The open ocean south of Egg Rock, off the southeastern corner of the island, has been the fishing spot selected by Park-ranger Charles T. Gay, who is in charge of this activity.

The first group, totalling 15 persons, went out in two boats on July 12 and returned with approximately 450 pounds of fish. More than 80 Cod and about 45 Haddock were landed. A lone Catfish, weighing 30 pounds, proved to be the largest fish caught and fell to one of the ladies in the party. A few Hake and Sea Pollock and one Flounder were also pulled in.

Cod and Haddock centinued to be the fish most frequently landed by subsequent parties. A Cunner and a large Eel have swelled the number of species to 8.

Cases of sea-sickness on these trips are infrequent and many who previously have never been on the ocean return with no ill-effects. So enthusiastic have the fishing parties become that this new activity promises to be very popular, especially with the fishermen-tourists.