576 HISTORY AND METHODS OF THE FISHERIES. 



The catch for 1880 in this region amounted to 13,000 barrels of salt mullet and 40,000 bunches 

 of fresh ones, having a value to the fishermen of about $45,000. In the Wilmington district, in- 

 cluding the coast between New and Little Eivers, 48 seines, with 100 additional gill-nets, were em- 

 ployed, the catch amounting to 2,800 barrels of salt mullet, in addition to the large quantity sold 

 fresh in the Wilmington market. The statistics for the whole of North Carolina show 1,500 men, 

 with 450 seines and 700 gill-nets, employed in the fisheries; the total catch being 3,368,000 pounds 

 of mullet and 2,000 dozen mullet roes, having a total value of $80,500. 



At Charleston 12 mullet seines, manned by 72 men, are fished regularly for a couple of months 

 in the fall, these landing during the season an average of 2^500 bunches each, or a total of 30,000 

 strings, equal to 135,000 mullet. In addition, the seiners that fish along the numerous tide-creeks 

 during the winter mouths catch about 4,000 bunches, or 35,000 mullet in number, in addition to 

 their other fish, making the total mullet yield for Charleston 34,000 bunches, or 170,000 fish, which, 

 at an average value of 12 cents a bunch, would pay the fishermen nearly $4,000, while the retail 

 value is nearly double that amount. In addition, not less than 5,000 bunches were secured by the 

 fishermen of Winyah Bay, a large percentage of them being sent to Charleston. The statistics for 

 the South Carolina waters show 80 men, with 15 seines and 10 gill-nets, regularly employed during 

 the height of the season, marketing 232,000 pounds of mullet and 20 dozen roes, with a total value 

 of $7,210. 



The mullet fisheries of Georgia are quite unimportant, only 30 men, with 5 seines and 20 gill- 

 nets, fishing extensively. The value of the catch was about $4,500. 



At the mouth of the Saint John's River, and in the sounds further south, quite a quantity of 

 mullet are taken, 181 men being engaged to a greater or less extent in this fishery. The total yield 

 for Eastern Florida is 663,000 pounds, valued at, including the 500 dozen roes, $20,787. At Saint 

 Mark's a large number of men are engaged in the capture of mullet for shipment to Savannah. Fully 

 90,000 pounds are sent fresh each season, and a quarter as many more are salted for local use and 

 shipment. The fisheries of Cedar Keys and Apalachicola are perhaps more extensive than those of 

 any other towns on the Gulf of Mexico, while those of Sarasota and Tampa Bays are also important. 

 Mr. Stearns, who has collected the statistics for the Gulf coast, says that seven hundred and thirty- 

 six men, with 85 seines and 125 gill-nets, are employed in the fishery for a number of months. The 

 total catch for Western Florida he places at 2,831,333 pounds of mullet, with 13,325 dozen mullet 

 roes, the total value to the fishermen being $102,721. 



In Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana the catch is quite small, the men devoting only a few 

 weeks to the capture of this particular species, though the mullet are present during the entire 

 year, and are taken in greater or less numbers by the fishermen while seining for other species. 

 The values of the products for these States, as given by Mr. Stearns, are $3,750, $60, and $1,650, 

 respectively. 



In Texas there are no regular mullet fisheries. The fish are present in small numbers, and, 

 though not regarded with much favor for food, & few are taken by parties fishing for other species. 



Professor Jordan, in his account of the California fisheries, says that 600 pounds of mullet (M. 

 mexicana) are taken by the fishermen of San Diego during the average season. 



The following table gives a condensed summary of the mullet fisheries of the United States, 

 showing the number of persons and amount of apparatus employed, and the quantity and value of 

 the products; 



