FISHERIES OF THE SOUTH ATLANTIC STATES. 



205 



near Beaufort, aud canneries in Georgia, at Wilmington Island and 

 Thunderbolt. 



Small vessels from Savannah cruise along the waters of Beaufort 

 County, buying a considerable amount of terrapin from the residents. 

 Of the large variety of sea fishes to be found in this section very little 

 attention is given to any except drum, which are plentiful, and. weigh 

 from 20 to 150 pounds. During the short run of drum, extending only 

 through March and April, from 50 to 75 boats from Beaufort engage in 

 the fishery, their aggregate catch for the season amounting to 150,000 

 to 200,000 pounds. Drum are sold by fishermen at from 25 to 50 cents 

 apiece, or an average of about one-half cent a pound. They are mostly 

 used locally, all surplus being shipped by steamer to Charleston. 



The following series of tables contain condensed statistics of the 

 fisheries of this State. There were employed in 1897, 2,139 persons, 59 

 of this number being engaged on vessels, 10 on vessels transporting, 

 1,865 in the shore and boat fisheries, and 205 were shoresmen. The 

 investment in the fisheries of the State was $174,354. There were 12 

 fishing vessels, valued at $6,300; 1,056 boats were employed, worth 

 $34,080. Gill nets constituted the most important form of apparatus of 

 capture, and were valued at $23,840. Seines were valued at $3,045; 

 tongs and rakes at $1,692. The shore property and the cash cajntal 

 amounted to $93,855. 



The yield of the fisheries of the State was 5,280,446 jjounds, having a 

 value of $210,456. The value of oysters taken was $45,360, of whiting 

 $28,405, of shad $27,696, and of sea bass $26,356. The yield of shrimp 

 was worth $18,395, sturgeon $7,325, caviar $17,525, terrapins $9,635. 



Persoim employed. 



Table of apparatus and capital. 



Vessels fishing 



Tonnage 



Outfit 



Vessels transporting 



Tonnage 



Outfit 



Boats 



Apparatus of capture — vessel 

 fisheries : 



Seines 



Lines 



Tongs 



No. 



12 

 224. 90 



4 

 28.03 



1,056 



1 

 2 



Value. 



$6, 300 



3,157 

 5,700 



585 

 34, 080 



30 

 440 



14 



Items. 



Apparatus of capture — shore 

 fisheries : 



Seines 



Gill nets 



Cast nets 



Bow nets , 



Lines 



Tongs and rakes 



Shore and accessory property . . . 

 Cash capital 



Total. 



No. 



87 

 408 

 123 



20 



Value. 



$3, 015 



23, 840 



615 



60 



985 



1,678 



45, 055 



48, 800 



174, 354 



