FISHERIES OF THE SOUTH ATLANTIC STATES. 179 



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THE FISHERIES BY COUNTIES. 



Twenty-six counties are represented in the commercial fisheries of 

 North Carolina. Of this number 17 have a frontage on the ocean or 

 on the sounds tributary thereto, and many of them maintain important 

 fisheries. Those bordering the sounds and the ocean are Currituck, 

 Camden, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Chowan, Bertie, Washingtou,Tyrrell, 

 Dare, Hyde, Pamlico, Craven, Carteret, Onslow, Pender, New Hanover, 

 and Brunswick. 



In the tables beginning on page 184 the fisheries of each of these 

 counties are shown in detail. 



In the number of persons employed and in the amount of capital 

 invested Carteret takes precedence over all other counties in the State, 

 occupying the position formerly held by Dare County, the latter taking 

 second place in this regard, though still holding first place in value of 

 products. 



A large proportion of the fish caught in Carteret County are handled 

 by wholesale dealers at Beaufort and Morehead City. These firms 

 handled in 1897 1,756,808 pounds, having a gross value of ^70,274. In 

 addition to fish the same firms handled shucked oysters, scallops, and 

 clams. 



A comparatively new industry in Carteret County since the former 

 investigation is that of shipping soft-shell crabs to the Northern mar- 

 kets, the total number shipped in 1897 being 13,600 dozen. This busi- 

 ness is growing steadily, and at Marshallberg one firm has an extensive 

 plant where crabs are kept in floats preparatory to their shedding and 

 becoming marketable. 



Nearly all the oysters handled by the dealers in Carteret County are 

 bought opened, the oystermen receiving an average of 35 cents per gal- 

 lon for them. The scallops are all bought in this way, none being sold 

 in the shell, the price for the same ranging from 40 to 45 cents per 

 gallon. 



In this county the seine fishery has undergone some changes in recent 

 years, a law having been enacted prohibiting»the hauling of any seine 

 over 200 yards in length. Such seines are generally used in the mullet 

 fishery. There are many " drag nets," so called, or small seines, with a 

 length of about 350 feet each. These nets are fished in the sounds and 

 also on the outside along the banks. The total number of nets of this 

 class in use in Carteret County in 1897 was 329. In the fisheries of 

 this county 5,250 stake gill nets were used ; 25 large stake nets, with 

 an average length of 200 yards each, were fished along the banks. The 

 fishing of large stake nets of this character is of comparatively recent 

 date. 225 small boats with 375 men engaged in tongiug oysters in Car- 

 teret County, their catch in the aggregate amounting to 244,800 bush- 

 els, with a value to the fishermen of $60,299. 



In the catching of scallops and clams about 150 persons are engaged. 

 The scallops are caught with scoops and drags. The scoops have a 



