54 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 
while trout and starfish represent 40 and 45 per cent, respectively. 
Hence further consideration of undersized fish will be limited to a 
consideration of the pound-net catch of gray trout and starfish. 
The previous figures, based upon observations at Portsmouth, 
Lupton, Brant Island, Gull Rock, and Point of Marsh, apply to the 
average conditions over the whole of Pamlico Sound. There is con- 
siderable variation, however, in the relative destruction of gray trout 
and starfish in the various localities. Table 13 gives the percentage 
destruction of small gray trout taken in pound nets in Pamlico Sound, 
according to month and locality. 
TaBLE 13.—Percentage destruction of undersized gray trout by pound nets in 
Pamlico Sound, N. C., 1925, according to locality and month 









Locality June July Aug. Sept. Oct. 
Se ee E: | ‘ -| 
EGHUSINOMUMEe Se sets FAS Te 2 Rk eh ees See 29. 36 25530)|= lik. CDRS) eee ee 
IAT POUT ES SO eee ee See ee 50. 46 54. 38 25. 68 | 4.92 10. 42 
Brats ane ease ae) a ee ee ee 77.7: 43. 99 16. 50 6. 29 28. 40 
POUT Oe WAS ls = Fe oe ees De le ee eee 29. 94 14. 88 | 6.83 20. 43 
MET TLBIDER OC Reteee ae en aN ee es wee ee a = A 74.17 53. 16 38. 93 27.76 13. 28 
‘SNe aaa ae Sa RRR Ae st 57.93.| \ 41.35. 24:00, |). desea) Semalends 
| | 

In the month of June the smallest fish are taken at Brant Island 
and Gull Rock, the number of unmarketable fish reaching 78 and 74 
per cent, respectively while at Lupton virtually 50 per cent of the 
catch is below legal size. At Portsmouth less than 30 per cent are 
unmarketable, the bulk of the catch coming from the older spawning 
fish. In July the amount of destruction at Brant Island and Gull 
Rock has fallen somewhat and is exceeded by the destruction at Lup- 
ton, which amounts to 54 per cent. The amount of destruction at 
Portsmouth still remains low, although the preponderance of spawn- 
ing fish is somewhat reduced. In August the destruction in all locali- 
ties has fallen below 40 per cent, with the highest figure at Gull Rock. 
Fishing at Portsmouth has been discontinued until the very end of 
the season, but records are so scattering that they do not appear in 
our study again. The destruction at Gull Rock still remains high, 
but has fallen in September to about 28 per cent. This amount of 
destruction is largely due to the incoming of the smaller year class 
of trout, which scarcely appears in the catches at other localities. 
The total destruction at the other three pound-net localities is 5 or 
6 per cent. In October the larger sizes of fish are relatively more 
important in all localities. The fish remaining below the legal limit 
have increased, however, to 20 and 28 per cent at Point of Marsh and 
Gull Rock, due to the increasing abundance of the youngest year 
class taken in commercial gear. If it can be assumed that conditions 
at Gull Rock are typical of the northwest side of Pamlico Sound, we 
may conclude that this region supports a population of very small 
fish with but a scattering of the larger sizes. The destruction of fish 
in this locality is, therefore, more severe than at any other place. 
Only the larger sizes are taken in the fishery at Portsmouth in June 
ang July, hence the destruction of small fish there amounts to very 
ittle. 
