182 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



18 to 20 feet. The catcli of diamoud-back terrapin numbered 1,800, 

 valued at $630, and 320 green turtles were taken valued at $1,920. 



The clam industry has grown considerably in Brunswick County in 

 the past live or six years, and now employs a large number of persons. 

 The men engaged camp on the beach during most of the week. The 

 season for clamming is regulated by law and begins November 15 and 

 closes April 15. The catch for 1897 amounted to 50,000 bushels, valued 

 at $22,500. The clamming grounds are along the inlets that border 

 the county. 



The fishing centers of Hyde County are in the vicinity of Mount 

 Pleasant, Middletown, and Engelhard. As a whole, the fisheries of 

 this county show a large increase in the amount of shad taken and also 

 an increase of 140,000 bushels in the oyster output. The total quantity 

 of oysters was 216,890 bushels, with a value of $43,378. In addition 

 to the market oysters tonged, 21,210 bushels of seed oysters, with a 

 value of $2,205, were sold. The greater portion of the oysters are sold 

 to vessels that come from other States and anchor on the fishing- 

 grounds, buying the tonged oysters from the small boats engaged in 

 the business. 



The shad fisheries of Hyde County show an increase of 183,820 

 X)ounds over the figures for 1890. The total for 1897 was 252,000 

 pounds, as against 68,180 pounds in 1890. Most of the shad credited 

 to Hyde County are taken in the adjoining county of Dare, where the 

 fishermen camp during the shad season. 



In point of capital invested Beaufort County ranks fifth, and maintains 

 important fisheries on the Pamlico and Pungo rivers. The wholesale 

 trade is centered at Washington. The principal apparatus in use is 

 seines, 49 being employed, their catch amounting to 563,103 pounds, 

 valued at $16,772, more than one-half of the catch of the county. Next 

 to the seine in importance is the pound net, the catch from the latter 

 amounting to 377,715 pounds, valued at $8,315. At Belhaven two 

 oyster establishments are located, both engaged in shucking oysters 

 for shipment, the output aggregating about 10,500 gallons, marketed 

 in the Northern cities. 



Craven County occupies a prominent position in the fisheries. The 

 bulk of the catch on Neuse River is handled at Newbernj the quantity 

 is estimated at 1,565,000 pounds, with an aggregate value of $60,600, 

 and 50,754 gallons of oysters were shipped to Northern cities and as 

 far west as Chicago. More than two-thirds of the output of Craven 

 County was captured with seines. Formerly pound nets were fished 

 to a great extent in Neuse Kiver, many fishermen coming from other 

 localities to engage in this fishery. As a result the nets increased in 

 such numbers that a law, becoming operative in July, 1897, has been 

 passed prohibiting their use in the river. 



The fisheries of Pamlico County are not very extensive, though a 

 decided improvement is shown. They are carried on mainly in the 



