176 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



seines above noted, was 60,450 shad, valued at $11,835, of which 28,150 

 were roes and 32,300 bucks. The catch of alewives during the same 

 season amounted to 6,772,000. The season begins usually about March 

 12 and ends the second week of May, the maximum run being- about the 

 first half of April. 



Chowan Eiver has the most important pound-net fishery of the rivers 

 south of Virginia, the number of those nets in 1896 being 447. They 

 are small, averaging in value about 870 each. Several of them are 

 constructed with a small heart inside of the usual one, but the value of 

 this addition is not generally recognized. The pound nets are located 

 from the mouth of the river to Mount Gallon and mostly on the east 

 side, 311 being on that side in 1896, while 136 were on the west side of 

 the river. They are set usually in strings containing from 2 to 20 nets, 

 only 5 nets being set singly during the last season. The depth of the 

 water ranges from 6 to 20 feet, and the season runs from about the sec- 

 ond week of March to the middle of May. The yield of shad in 1896 

 numbered 122,595, valued locally at $22,490, of which 47,576 were roes 

 and 75,019 bucks. 



Above the railroad bridge at Tunis there were 13 rowboats engaged 

 in drifting gill nets, 1,440 yards of twine with 5i-inch mesh being used. 

 The catch was small, amounting to only 500 shad, which were used 

 principally in the families of the fishermen. The water of the Chowan 

 appears to be too clear for the profitable employment of gill nets. 



THE SHAD FISHERIES OF VIRGINIA. 



The following series of three tables shows by water areas the extent 

 of each branch of the shad fisheries of Virginia during the season 

 covered by the present report : 



Staiemeni, hy water areas, of the number of persons employed in each branch of the shad 

 fisheries of Virginia in 1S9G. 



a Hedge. 



6 Fyke-net. 



Fail-trap. 



