538 HISTORY AND METHODS OF THE FISHERIES. 



this fishery, they, of course, receive all the money which their fish may bring; therefore there would 

 be no "lay" in the matter. Those, however, who employ seines, as some of the men do in Indian 

 River and Bay, go on a lay something similar to those who engage in the trout fishery. In this 

 case the seines are generally owned by merchants or by one of the fishermen, and the owner 

 receives one-fifth of the proceeds for its use. 



3. THE ROCK AND PERCH FISHERY. 



1. GENERAL REVIEW. 



The fishery for rock and perch in Delaware, between Dover and the southern limit of the 

 State, though unimportant in comparison with the great commercial fisheries of the other sections 

 of the country, is, nevertheless, one of considerable consequence to the residents of this region, 

 since this fishery is carried on almost wholly in the winter season, when the men who engage in it 

 would otherwise be unemployed. 



In former times, both rock and perch were much more abundant than at present; and above 

 all, the fishermen, while agreeing in a general statement as to the abundance of fish in other days, 

 look forward to the future with considerable apprehension, predicting a still greater decrease in 

 the number of the fish than has already taken place. 



Mr. G. W. Johnson, of Millsborough, says that about 1840 the fishermen used to haul large 

 quantities of rock and perch in their drag-seines, frequently getting more than they could possibly 

 find sale for. In such cases pens were built of pine logs on the banks of the river, in which the 

 fish were kept alive until they could be sold. When a purchaser could be found, the fish were 

 disposed of for any price that could be obtained. He also says that, about the year I860, he has 

 seen 7,000 pounds of these fish taken at one haul of the seine, the net being of the same size as 

 those now in use by the fishermen at Indian River. The average winter's catch for a gang of four 

 men, at that time, he thinks, would have been about 20,000 pounds. 



Mr. E. W. Houston, also of Millsborough. states that there has been a decided decrease in the 

 abundance of rock and perch in Indian River. In the winter of 1868 he knew of a catch of 20,000 

 pounds of these fish being made in one day. 



Mr. Johnson tells us that weirs were formerly used to some extent on Indian River, for several 

 years previous to 1873, but since that time there have been none built. These were made by 

 weaving oak splints through stakes, forming a sort of basket-work when completed ; the stakes 

 were driven into the mud, thus forming a weir. These weirs were placed in about 6 feet of water at 

 their outer ends, and the fish caught in them among which perch and rock formed a considerable 

 part were taken out with a dip-net. 



The catch of rockfish from Dover to Williamsville, in 1880, was 147,000 pounds, this amount 

 being pretty evenly divided between the section bordering Delaware Bay from Dover to Cape Hen- 

 lopen and that situated south of the cape between the latter and the boundary of the State. The 

 total catch of perch in this region was 326,500 pounds, and of this quantity there was little differ- 

 ence in the catch between the two sections named above, there being, however, a few more taken 

 south of Cape Henlopen than north of it. With the exception of Dover, the catch of rock and 

 perch north of Cape Henlopen is comparatively small, these fish being taken incidentally in the 

 seines and nets, which are also used principally for the capture of other species. 



