McHUGH: MARINE FISHERIES OF DELAWARE 



Pound Net 



Pound nets were not as important in Delaware 

 as they were along most of the coast. They were 

 used in Delaware mostly to catch horseshoe crab 

 for manufacture into meal (Figure 28). Only 13.5% 

 of the catch was fishes, and these were mostly 

 alewife, white perch, carp, and catfish or bull- 

 heads (Family Ictaluridae). When horseshoe crab 

 was no longer taken, pound nets quickly ceased 



operation. The last net was fished in 1938. In 1956 

 and 1957 pound nets were set again, but the catch 

 was insignificant. 



Oyster Dredges 



Dredges were the main gear used to harvest 

 oysters in Delaware, and they apparently took fair 

 numbers prior to 1929 (Figure 29). There followed 

 about a 15-yr period in which the catch was very 



Figure 28.— Commercial landings by 

 pound nets in Delaware. 1887-1957, and 

 numbers of units of gear licensed. 



U- CO 



O -z. 

 o 

 (/) I- 

 o 



UJ o 



q: 



Q 



z 

 I 



cr 



/\ 



■i^-T 'i^ L_LJ L 



L*U- 



L^i^ 



J L 



60 



70 



CO 



o 



o 



CO 

 Q 



-z. 

 < 



CO 



O 



X 



20 



1.5 



0.5 



J \ L 



— -^ 



J \ L 



J L 



J \ L 



90 



1900 



20 30 



YE 



40 

 AR 



50 



60 70 



Figure 29.— Commercial landings by 

 oyster dredges in Delaware, 1901-77, 

 and numbers of units of gear licensed. 



595 



