SHAD FISHERIES OF THE ATLANTIC COAST. 



143 



of 49 miles above Orangeburg and 98 miles from the Junction of the 

 two streams. The rafting of timber on this stream, as on many other 

 Southern rivers, exerts a beneficial influence by tending to keep an open 

 passageway for the ascent of fish through the driftwood, overhanging 

 brush, etc. 



The commercial shad fisheries on the Edisto extend from near the 

 mouth of the river to Orangeburg on the North Fork, yet they are 

 most extensive near Jacksonboro, at the crossing of the Charleston and 

 Savannah Eailroad. They are prosecuted largely by negroes from 

 Charleston, but the number of natives engaged has increased daring 

 recent years. The set-gill net is the principal apparatus used, and a 

 few bow nets and seines are employed, especially in the upper reaches 

 of the river, the latter forms of apparatus being used mainly by the 

 natives. The principal gill net grounds extend from 12 miles below 

 Jacksonboro to 2 miles above that station. 



The gill nets are made of No. 40 twine, with 5J to 5J inch mesh, and 

 cost about $35 each. At each end of the net is a rod several feet in 

 length, anchored at one end to keep it upright, and attached by means 

 of a rope bridle to a fixed stake or tree trunk on the shore. The size 

 of the nets varies, but averages about 35 fathoms long "in gear," and 

 40 meshes deep. They are made, however, to fit the channel of the 

 river, stretching almost from bank to bank and reaching to the bottom, 

 forming a serious impediment to the passage of fish. On account of 

 the clearness of the water fishing can be carried on only at night, thus 

 leaving a free passage for shad during the daytime. The nets are 

 usually not less than 300 yards from each other. In the lower part of 

 the river, where the tide current is strong, they are put out at three- 

 fourths flood and taken in at one- fourth ebb. The season opens about 

 January 10 and closes the end of March, the greater portion of the 

 catch being made in February. By a State law the time for fishing 

 with gill nets is further restricted to four days of the week, from the 

 rising of the sun each Monday to the setting of the sun each Thursday. 



In 1896, 84 men engaged in the gill-net fishery on the lower portion 

 of the Edisto, using 42 boats, worth $2,130, and 62 nets, worth $2,184. 

 The catch amounted to 11,132 bucks and 10,835 roe shad, with a local 

 valuation of $4,281, and in addition thereto 5,258 hickory shad were 

 taken. In 1880 the number of net fishermen was reported at 150 and 

 the catch of shad at 90,000 pounds. In 1890, 48 nets took 30,100 shad. 

 The following record of the catch of one gill-net boat on the Edisto 

 Eiver, from 1885 to 1896, inclusive, is presented as a fair showing of 

 the relative abundance of shad during that period : 



