FISHERIES OF THE SOUTH ATLANTIC STATES. 191 



net being pushed up by the heavy grass and allowing the fish to escape. 

 The principal species taken in this net are black bass and perch. 



So far as quantity is concerned, pound nets are second in impor- 

 tance, taking 14,080,660 pounds of fish, valued at $238,798. Alewives 

 form the largest part of this catch, 9,554,989 pounds, worth ^68,513, 

 having been taken. The most important species in point of value, 

 and the second so far as quantity is concerned, is the shad, of which 

 2,328,585 j)ounds, valued at $88,293, were taken. Other important 

 species in point of value are striped bass, squeteague, and perch. 



The increase in the number of pound nets in use in this State is 

 remarkable. They were first introduced about 1874, and in 1880 only 

 117 were in use. In 1890 there were 950; in 1896, 1,700, and in 1897, 

 1,852. The Albemarle Sound region maintains the largest number of 

 pound nets, followed by Pamlico and Croatan sounds. The great 

 increase in the number of pound nets, owing to their efficiency, has had 

 a marked effect on the use of other forms of apparatus. 



Although gill nets occupy third place as regards the quantity of fish 

 taken, they are first as regards value. This is explained by the large 

 shad catch, which has a relatively high value. Somewhat more than 

 half the shad catch of the State is taken in gill nets. The catch of 

 shad was 4,916,952 pounds, valued at $205,079. The squeteague fishery 

 is quite important, its value being $47,199, while the value of the mullet 

 catch is $24,030. Dare County has a great preponderance in number 

 of gill nets used and in the quantity and value of the catch, its princi- 

 pal species being shad and blue-fish. Tyrrell, New Hanover, Carteret, 

 and Onslow counties rank in the order named so far as value of catch is 

 concerned, although in the matter of quantity taken Carteret would be 

 second, followed by Tyrrell, Onslow, Currituck, and New Hanover. 



Gill nets are damaged a great deal by crabs, being frequently torn in 

 getting them out of the meshes. 



During the spring of 1898 several persons from the Northern States 

 started a gill-net fishery for sturgeon in the ocean at Nags Head. They 

 met with very good success and soon had imitators at various points 

 along the "banks," more particularly at Whales Head, Kittyhawk, 

 Oregon and New Inlets, and Hatteras. As this investigation was for 

 the year 1897 this fishery does not appear in the statistical tables. 



The line fishery is only prosecuted in New Hanover, Brunswick, Dare, 

 and Martin counties. The total catch was 820,967 pounds, valued at 

 $27,290. New Hanover secured almost twice as much as all the other 

 counties. The principal species taken were squeteague and pig-fish. 



Wheels are used only on the Roanoke River, where they secured 

 117,635 pounds, valued at $3,608. Alewives and shad were the princi- 

 pal species taken. 



Eel pots are in use in 7 counties, the principal catch being made in 

 Currituck County. The total yield was 93,000 pounds, valued at $3,913. 



Fyke nets occupy a very insignificant position in the fisheries of the 

 State. They are used in 6 counties, and the total catch was 26,207 



