148 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



poses. The remainder were used for fertilizing, or were thrown away. 

 Fishing is carried on in the daytime, but not with any precise regu- 

 larity, on account of the limited demand. The shrimp are boiled in 

 brine, in kettles holding from 10 to 50 quarts, and are then spread out to 

 dry. They are shipped to market in baskets. Prior to 1878, no shrimp 

 were shipped away from Wilmington, but since then a limited trade 

 has sprung up with neighboring towns, and with New York and Phila- 

 delphia. 



South Carolina. — One of the most important fisheries of the vicinity 

 of Charleston is that for shrimp and prawns. From March to July, the 

 larger prawns alone are taken, but later the smaller shrimp replace 

 them entirely. The fishery continues from the last of March, or first 

 of April, until the middle of November, and is carried on mainly within 

 15 miles of the city, and during the two or three hours of low tide of 

 each night. The boats return to the city before daylight, so as to sup- 

 ply bait to the boat fishermen, after which the shrimp remaining are 

 sold in small lots to men, women, and children, who vend them through 

 the city. During the first of the season (1880), some to 8 seine boats, 

 with crews of about 6 men each, are engaged in this fishery. The 

 catch is variable, being sometimes better in one locality and again in 

 another; and often from 10 to 20 bushels may be the result of a night's 

 seiniug by one or more boats, while the remainder will obtain only 4 or 

 5 bushels each. Prawns are considered to form one of the best baits 

 for whiting, which are in season at the same time, and for this purpose 

 the greater part of the catch is frequently sold. The shrimpers sell the 

 prawns by the plateful, each containing from one to one and a half 

 quarts, the customary price being about 50 cents per plate. The price 

 sometimes rises to one dollar per plate, or at the rate of about two cents 

 for each prawn. During the first few weeks of the prawn fishery, it is 

 one of the most profitable of all of the fisheries in this section. Early 

 in May the prawns become more abundant, and the seines are aban- 

 doned for cast-nets, the number of persons engaging in the fishery also 

 increasing at the same time. During the height of the season, at least 

 75 cast-nets are in use, and, in June, the daily catch per boat exceeds 

 one hundred plates. ' 



The prawns are replaced by the shrimp early in July, and the latter 

 continue near the shore until November. The difference in size between 

 these two is roughly stated to be about as follows : that while only 

 about forty prawns are required to fill a plate, a plateful of the shrimp 

 will contain from fifty to sixty individuals. The number of shrimpers 

 continues about the same as the prawn-catchers, in June, until near 

 the close of the season; but the price soon falls to 25 cents, then to 15 

 cents, and finally to 10 cents per plate. The retail venders, who sell 

 through the city, are all blacks, and begin their rounds early in the morn- 

 ing. As there are no city laws restricting their business, they compose 

 a numerous body. Shrimp and prawns have come to be considered 



