THE NEUSE RIVEE, NORTH CAROLINA. 627 



bring down floods which frequently prevent the seine-haulers from fishing for several days at a 

 time. The same result is produced at ordinary stages of water by easterly winds, which retard 

 the current and produce the effect of heavy rains. As is elsewhere stated, the skim-netters carry 

 on their operations when seine hauling is impossible for reasons above given. The fish during 

 these times of swollen waters pursue their upward migrations comparatively unobstructed and 

 unmolested ; indeed, it is doubtful whether but for such opportunities there would at the present 

 time be any fisheries in the Neuse River worthy of mention. 



The product of the fisheries on the Neuse RiveiHbears a favorable comparison with that of other 

 streams in the South Atlantic States; but of late years the supply has materially decreased in all 

 the rivers owing to overfishing and the erection of obstructions. In former years the shad 

 ascended the Neuse in great numbers iuto Western North Carolina, and profitable shad fisheries 

 were operated as high as Raleigh. At the present time shad fishing for market does not extend 

 farther up the river than Kinston, which is at the head of steamboat navigation on the Neuse ; 

 several thousand shad are, however, annually taken above that point in skim-nets, fish-slides, 

 and hack-traps, but are used for local trade only. All the shad taken by the pound-nets, stake- 

 nets, and seines are sent to New Berne, whence they are shipped by steamer and rail to Northern 

 cities during the early part of the season. The principal firms in New Berne thus engaged are 

 those of C. T. Watson, B. B. Lane, T. Daniels, G. N. Ivis, D. Bell & Co., C. L. Dickinson, F. M. 

 Augostine, and A. W. Nelson. As the season advances, however, and the cities in the North 

 receive fish from more northerly points on the Atlantic, the price of Southern fish becomes depre- 

 ciated, and it is no longer profitable for the New Berne and other shippers to send their fish North. 

 Thenceforward to the close of the season the majority of the fish taken are shipped to the interior 

 of the South Atlantic States. 



In former times the fishing below Kinston was mainly prosecuted with haul-seines, skim-nets 

 being used in the upper part of the river, i. e., above Kinston. In later years stake-nets have begun 

 to take the place of haul-seines, and the fishermen have ascertained that stake-nets planted in the 

 lower regions of the river below New Berne cut off the run of the fish in the river to such an extent 

 as to render haul-seining no longer profitable. Within the last few years, however, pound-nets have 

 been introduced into the river below New Berne, and it is more than probable that before the lapse 

 of many years they will be substituted for the stake-nets. Judging, however, by the tone of the 

 present legislature of North Carolina, and in view of the fact that the majority of the fishermen 

 can better advance their interests by employing other modes of fishing than by the use of pound- 

 nets, it is quite probable that the employment of these nets will be largely restricted, if not actually 

 prohibited by legislation. 



APPARATUS. 



Seven kinds of nets are used on the Neuse for the capture of fish, chiefly shad ; of these the 

 haul-seines, skim-nets, and gill-nets are mainly employed between New Berne and Kinston, and 

 the stake, drag, and po und nets between New Berne and the mouth of the river. 



STAKE, OR SET NETS. There are 3,750 of these nets used below New Berne, handled by 150 

 rn'en, each of whom tends 25 nets. Above New Berne 160 set-nets are fished by 16 men. The 

 majority of the set-nets are owned and worked by fishermen from Carteret and other coast 

 counties. These men, except during the shad season, are engaged in salt-water fisheries. Proba- 

 bly 1,200 set-nets are owned by the fish dealers of New Berne. The set-net averages 20 yards in 

 length, the depth differing with the depth of water. The size of the mesh is from 5 inches to 6 

 inches. The nets are stretched by staffs or poles at each end, and are set down-stream. Were 



