FISHERIES OF THE SOUTH ATLANTIC STATES. 183 



Neuse River. At Bay River an oyster fishery lias recently beeu estab- 

 lished, which grows steadily in importance, the oysters being taken in 

 the river and around Brant Island, in Pamlico Sound. Fifty small 

 boats were engaged, the catch amounting to 36,000 bushels, with a value 

 to the oystermen of $9,000. 



While Dare County is second in number of persons employed, it 

 maintains first place in the value of products. This is due to the 

 great value of the shad fisheries. In addition to the shore fisheries 

 a vessel fishery is njaihtained, with 15 vessels. Three or four engage 

 in taking striped bass; the remainder devote their time to the oyster 

 fisheries. The remoteness of the fishing-grounds necessitates the 

 employment of 24 vessels to carry the catch to market. The catcli of 

 blue-fish in this county was 780,890 pounds, valued at $28,822. 



Chowan County is third in importance of its fisheries, the 'output 

 amounting to 12,292,720 pounds, with a value of $112,787. The capital 

 invested was $130,048. Of this amount $40,365 was employed in the 

 pound-net fishery, representing 622 nets. This method of fishing has 

 increased year by year and is the mainstay of the fisheries of this 

 county. The pound-net catch amounted to 6,989,598 pounds, with a 

 value of $69,275, more than one-half of the entire catch of the county 

 being taken in this form of apparatus. Alewives are the leading 

 species taken, amounting to 6,147,384 jjounds, valued at $40,049; shad 

 ranking second with 075,680 pounds, valued at $21,538. 



The fisheries of Currituck County show a large increase, amounting 

 to 688,549 pounds over 1890, with an advance in value of nearly $10,000. 

 This increase is largely in the seine fisheries, over 1,000,000 pounds 

 being taken with this apparatus. The most important species is the 

 black bass, amounting to 490,280 pounds, and valued at $21,699. The 

 perch catch was over 325,000 pounds. In the catch of these species 

 Currituck County leads all the other counties in the State. 



In Tyrrell County over $14,000 has been added to the capital invested, 

 and $12,323 to the value of products. The increase is mainly in the 

 shad fishery, and amounts to 670,465 pounds, valued at $24,276 more 

 than in 1890. This improvement is largely due to an increase in 

 apparatus, over 6.000 nets having been added to the equipment. The 

 alewife fishery has fallen off in both quantity and value, owing to the 

 steadily diminishing demand for the species and the consequent low 

 price. 



Washington County is principally noted for its pound-net fishery, 

 which employs 62 more nets than in 1890. The catch by this form of 

 apparatus amounted to 754,178 pounds, valued at $14,652. In the 

 matter of species caught in pound nets shad predominate, the value of 

 this fish being more than half of the entire output of these nets. 



