190 UEPOKT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



Tlic aggregate yield of Spiiiiish ina(;kcicl on this sliorc was 151,934 

 l>()iiiids in 1889 and 1L'4,(>10 pounds in 1890, valued at $10,783 and 

 $(;,7!>9, respectively. Tlie fisli are sold by the ])iece, at the uniforui ])rice 

 oi" 8A cents each. The fishermen explain tliat the soinewiiat smaller 

 yield in 1S!K) was not due to a scarcity of iish, but to conditions of 

 weather and temperature which kept tlie fish ofishore or beyond the 

 reach of the nets. 



Pomatomus saltatrix. " Jilacjiish." 



Next to tlu5 Spanish mackerel the blueftsh is the most valuable spe- 

 cies taken in the pound nets. .July and August are the months during, 

 which the largest runs occur; the catch then is always greater than in 

 i\Iay, June, September, and October. The fish was as abundant at Cape 

 Charles in 1890 as it was ever known to be, but as the schools kept 

 well otishore for the most iiart, the catch was n ot commensurate with 

 the abundance. The following statement, based on the catch in nets 

 for which detailed figures are available, shows the monthly variations 

 in the abundance of the fish in the inshore waters: 



Month\!i poittid-net vatch of blnrjish in the vicinUn of Cape Clinrlfs, I'nujinia. 



Month. 



1880 

 (6 nets). 



1890 

 (5 nets). 



May 



Juno 



July 



August 



September . 

 October 



Total 



Founds. 



35 



C, 080 



19, 07;i 



13, 43(1 



1,773 



Pounds. 

 2,2U 

 6, 772 



13. r.(i7 



14, 12(1 

 .S, 1!HI 



490 



40, 997 



45, 653 



The total catch of blueftsh in pound nets was 71,420 pounds, valued at 

 -$2,193, in 1889, and 112,703 pounds, worth $3,1(;], in 1890. The yield of 

 most of the nets is soklon thegronnds a(. the uniform rate of $2 a bushel. 



Cynoscion nebulosiim. 

 hoiil.'' 



SpoHtd nijiuteuone; "Trout"; '^Stilinon truiW; "White 



The sjiotted s(pieteagiu' ranks next to the preceding species in com- 

 mercial value. It occurs from April to October, inclusive, although it 

 is taken in small <puintities early and late in the season, as only a few 

 and often no pound nets are (hen in operation. Tlie fish is most com- 

 mon in .Inly and August, diuing which months more than half of the 

 catcii is made. The fish was four times more abundant in 1890 than in 

 the i)revious year, although it is usually not subject to variations so 

 marked as this. The aggregate catch in the imund nets of this section 

 was 02,(J10 pounds in 1S8!> and 202,110 pounds in 1890, tor which the 

 lisherinen received $()72 and $2,251, respectively. Nearly all the fish 

 are sold locally by tln^ bushel, at prices ranging from 50 cents to $1, 

 according to the demand. The average weight of the fish is one-half 



