100 FISHERIES OF THE MIDDLE ATLANTIC STATES. 



50 per cent since 1901, to some extent on account of changes in the 

 location of nets which placed them in other counties. 



The eastern counties of Virginia, Accomac and Northampton, also 

 have valuable pound-net fisheries. Accomac County shows an 

 increase of 62 nets and Northampton 10. These, with the exception 

 of a few nets fished in the ocean off Accomac County, are all located 

 on the eastern, or Chesapeake Bay, side of these counties. Sque- 

 teague, shad, and Spanish mackerel were the most valuable species 

 taken. 



The pound-net fisheries of Elizabeth City County are of great 

 importance, and yield nearly one-half of the entire catch of the 

 county. They aggregated, in 1904, 6,052,338 pounds, valued at 

 $113,823, an output exceeded by only one county. The number of 

 nets in use was 131, an increase of 28 over the year 1901. One 

 hundred and four of these nets were set between Back River light 

 and Fortress Monroe, and 27 between Hampton and Newport News. 



In York County, from the mouth of the Poquosin River to Toos 

 Point light, 23 pound nets were fished, and in addition two were 

 set in York River, near Yorktown, a total of 25 nets for the county. 



Most of the pound nets of Gloucester County are located in Mob jack 

 Bay and vicinity. With the exception of the oyster fishery, the 

 pound-net fishery is the most valuable branch in this county. 



The value of the pound-net catch in Mathews County is greater 

 than that of any other form of apparatus used in the county. The 

 number of nets fished in 1904 was 242, an increase of 53 since 1901. 

 The greater portion were fished in the spring, only 35 being operated 

 in the fall. Fifty-four were set in Chesapeake Bay, 4 in East River, 

 and 184 in Mobjack Bay and vicinity. 



In Middlesex County the pound-net fisheries are located principally 

 in the Rappahannock River, though a few are fished in the mouth of 

 the Plankatank River. They are not so extensively used in this 

 county as on the western side of the bay, and are fished only in the 

 spring. The catch is mostly shipped by steamer to Baltimore. The 

 number of nets operated in 1904 was 42. 



In the upper part of the Rappahannock River, in Richmond, 

 Essex, Caroline, and King George counties, a number of pound-nets 

 were operated by farmers and others living near the river. These 

 are much smaller than the nets fished near the mouth of the river. 

 The catch consists of catfish, carp, perch, striped bass, shad, and 

 some other species. 



Pound nets are the most productive apparatus used in the shore 

 fisheries of Lancaster County. The fishing grounds are located in 

 Chesapeake Bay and the Rappahannock River. The total number 

 of nets fished was 176, most of which were set in the spring. The 



