470 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



C7. Statement of A. W. Simpson, jr., Cape Hatteras, N. C, January 20, 



1875. 



During the past season the fishermen provided themselves with seines 

 and boats in time to meet the first run of the bluefish. The seines 

 were made of cotton marlin, and were about 100 yards long, 2|-iuch 

 mesh, and from 40 to 50 meshes deep. The bluefish made their first 

 appearance on the coast from the north. The menhaden passed about 

 three days in advance of the bluefish. I do not think I ever saw so 

 many of this species at any one other time or in any one other season. 

 From the balcony of the light-house at least twenty-five schools might 

 have been seen lying along the coast, both north and south of the 

 cape. Each school seemed to cover many hundred yards of surface 

 and to be moving south at the rate of from four to five miles an 

 hour. This continued, and school after school followed, for ten days 

 before the appearance of the hlue-fish, aud when the blue-fish did 

 appear there seemed to be more of the menhaden with them than 

 had passed the station during the three previous days. Hundreds 

 of barrels, I think, were washed ashore, and were driven so close by 

 the bluefish that they had not the power to resist the surf, which 

 was quite rough and heavy, aud they were consequently thrown 

 ashore upon the beach. Only a very small quantity of these fish were 

 saved, as the fishermen gave their attention more particularly to the 

 bluefish ; but some of them were saved and salted down, when they 

 were sold to a good advantage. Some sold as high, in trade, as to 

 bring ten bushels of corn, equal to $7 in currency, for one common 

 fish-barrel of the menhaden. It has been generally thought by old, 

 experienced fishermen here that the bluefish drive the fatback south 

 in winter ; but I have learned diflerently during the past season from 

 personal observation, which the following fact strongly attests. The 

 menhaden came three days in advance of the bluefish, and entered the 

 sound at all the principal inlets, aud made their way directly for the 

 fresh-water rivers. They could be seen as numerous in the sound, head- 

 ing north, as they were in the sea heading south. Furthermore, by a 

 letter from a gentleman of Plymouth, N. C, I hear that they passed 

 that place, eight miles above the mouth of the Koanoke, in five days 

 after passing this station, and by another letter, from Windsor, 38 

 to 40 miles above the entrance, I hear that they arrived there as 

 early as the 18th of December. Thus it may be readily seen that the 

 bluefish are not the cause of the fatback coming south. I would sooner 

 think that the fatback caused the bluefish to come south in winter, 

 as they generally follow in the run and among the last of the run of 

 the fatback. 



Last year there were not so many of the menhaden, but there were 

 millions of young spat — about two years old ; however, this winter there 

 was not a spat to be seen, but the gray trout came instead. These, 

 too, were washed ashore in great numbers. I feel safe in saying that if 



