FISHERIES OF THE MIDDLE ATLANTIC STATES. 493 



of the State from 16 to 35 feet, an averag-c being- about 18 feet. The 

 use of winding gear for operating patent tongs makes necessary the 

 em]^loyment of larger boats than for shaft tonging, these larger boats 

 being generally used later in the season for dredging. 



Pound nets are fished principall}^ in the spring for shad and ale- 

 wives, but very often they are set in rivers in the fall for striped bass. 



Two kinds of seines are used, haul and purse seines. The former 

 are used principally for alewives, striped bass, shad, white perch, and 

 other fishes, while menhaden, striped bass, and white perch are the 

 most important species taken by the latter. Haul seines are usually 

 fished in the spring, but often in the fall also. Purse seining for 

 striped bass and white perch is carried on during the summer. Haul 

 seines are in most cases fished in the rivers, an average crew consisting 

 of from four to six men, except on the Potomac and Susquehanna 

 rivers, where longer seines are used. The longest seine used on the 

 Maiyland side of the Potomac Kiver in 1901 was 1,600 yards, 22 men 

 being necessar}^ to handle it and look after the catch. The longest 

 seine used in the State was on the Susquehanna River in Cecil County. 

 Its length was 2,200 yards, and there were 65 men in the crew. Purse 

 seines are fished in the open waters of Chesapeake Bay for menhaden, 

 striped bass, and white perch. Almost the entire menhaden catch of 

 the State was taken by the steamer alreadj^ mentioned as being owned 

 at Crisfield. Purse seining for striped bass and white perch is confined 

 exclusively to fishermen from Kent Count}^, Rock Hall being the center 

 of the fisher3^ Vessels of about 5 net tons and over are used. The 

 crew usuall}' consists of seven men, and a trip varies in length from 

 one to two weeks, according to the abundance of fish. This fishery, 

 while not new, has been prosecuted more vigorously during recent 

 years than formerly and has proved quite profitable, notwithstanding 

 the large outlay and heavy running expenses. The crew, as a rule, 

 work on shares. 



Two kinds of lines are used, the trot line for hard crabs and cat- 

 fish, and the hand line for sea bass, squeteague, and various other 

 species. The same kind of line is used for crabs as for cat-fish, except 

 that no hooks are needed for the former. Crabs constitute over 90 per 

 cent of the entire line catch. 



The preponderance of shad over other species taken in gill nets is so 

 great that this apparatus may be said to be used primarily for that 

 species. In Kent County, however, large catches of striped bass and 

 white perch are made in sunken gill nets set during the winter and 

 earl}' spring before the run of shad has begun. As soon as that species 

 appears the anchors (usually bags of sand) are removed from the nets 

 and the latter allowed to drift. The drift gill net is the most impor- 

 tant style of gill net used, though quite a number of shad are also 

 taken in stake gill nets. Drift gill nets vary in length from 50 yards 

 set m the rivers to 2,200 yards set m Chesapeake Bay. The longest 



