FISHERIES OF THE GULF STATES. 139 



There is also considerable flshiug with seines for fish — chiefly with 

 small boats, vessels being engaged in it to only a limited extent. The 

 season is from March 15 to October 1. The fish seines are made of 

 somewhat heavier twine than the shrimp seines and are more expen- 

 siv^e. They are from 95 to 100 fathoms long, the size of mesh being 

 from 2 to 2i inches stretched, and cost about $150 each. Four or five 

 men are employed in each seine crew. The quantity of fish taken with 

 this apparatus by vessels was 9(3,100 pounds, valued at $2,980, and by 

 boats 3<)3,740 pounds, valued at $12,918. 



In addition to the shrimp and fish taken in seines there was an inci- 

 dental catch with shrimp seines consisting of 3,173 pounds of terrapin, 

 valued at $050, by vessels, and 3,325 pounds, valued at $625, by boats, 

 the value of all products by seine fishing being $45,817. 



The trammel-net fishery is prosecuted during the fall, winter, and 

 spring, and, so far as fish proper are concerned, is of greater impor- 

 tance than the seine fishery, but is of less value when all the products 

 taken by seines are considered. The trammel nets are used in sections 

 of 40 to 50 fathoms each in length, two sections comprising one net. The 

 size of mesh in the inside web is about 2 inches, and in the webs on 

 either side about 14 inches stretched. The cost of the nets when new is 

 from $25 to $30 for each section. The quantity of fish taken by vessels 

 in trammel nets was 186,700 pounds, valued at $6,758, and by boats 

 376,100 pounds, valued at $11,901. 



Considerable quantities of fish are taken with pole and line, and 

 with hand lines, by small boats during the fall. The most important 

 species caught in this manner are the trout and Spanish mackerel. 

 Hard and soft crabs are also caught with trot lines from September 1 

 to May 15. The trot lines are from 400 to 700 feet long, the bait being 

 attached to snoods placed about 4 feet apart. They cost from $1.25 to 

 $2 each. The line catch aggregated 429,390 pounds of crabs and fish, 

 having a value of $13,851. 



Gill nets are used to a very limited extent in the vessel fisheries, the 

 catch amounting to only 5,600 pounds, valued at $455. 



Spears were used by one vessel and a number of small boats in the 

 capture of flounders. 



Cast nets and dip nets are used in the boat fisheries, the former for 

 taking mullet and shrimp, and the latter for taking soft crabs, the value 

 of the catch of both forms of apparatus being S2,240. 



The fisheries prosecuted by vessels are much less extensive than 

 those carried on with small boats, but are gradually assuming greater 

 relative importance, and the forms of apparatus used are becoming 

 more varied. The total value of the products taken by vessels was 

 >,493, and by boats $105,805. 



