REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AjSTD FISHERIES. LVII 



The present method of fishing on this river is such that fish-cultural 

 work on a large scale is not practicable. Only one small seine is used; 

 the balance of the fishermen use set gill nets, which are put out at low 

 water and not overhauled till high-water slack. They remain in water 

 until morning, when they are taken up and the fish removed, hence 

 the only opportunity for spawn-takers to obtain the fish alive would be 

 when they are first overhauled. The haul seine referred to is worked 

 by 5 men and is fished only at low water during the day. Drift nets 

 can not be used in this river on account of snags, shoals, and other 

 natural obstacles. Gill-net fishing extends from a mile above the 

 Savannah and Charleston Railroad crossing at Jacksonboro down to 

 the Dawho Eiver. This part of the river is known locally as the Pon 

 Pon. There are 37 crews of 2 men each fishing in this region, each crew 

 using two nets. They obtain an average of 1,000 fish per crew, though 

 in the vicinity of the Oakhurst plantation, where the old State fish- 

 hatchery is located, the catch is much larger, some crews taking from 

 1,800 to 3,000 per season. The State operated the hatchery referred to 

 from 1880 to 1^84, inclusive, and collected annually from 3,000,000 to 

 5,000,000 eggs. This hatchery is about centrally located as regards 

 the fishing area, the contour of the river in that vicinity showing it to be 

 especially adapted for spawning-grounds. If drift nets and haul seines 

 were used, there would be little difficulty in collecting from 15,000,000 

 to 20,000,000 eggs each season. 



During the stay of the vessel on the river the officers in command 

 were indebted to S. Fitzsimons, Morton Simons, and T. D. Eavenel for 

 assistance and courtesies extended. 



Albemarle Sound, Steamer Fish Hawk. 



Owing to a delay of some days at Ocracoke Inlet on account of the 

 extremely low tide, the vessel did not reach Avoca until March 28. 

 Anchorage was made at the entrance to Salmon Creek on account of 

 its proximity to the fishing-grounds and because of the partial shelter 

 which it affords to the ship's boats. Spawn-takers were immedi- 

 ately sent to the fishing-grounds controlled by Dr. W. R. Capehart and 

 Mr. T. D. Holly, and 147,000 eggs were secured from these sources on 

 the first day. It was also intended to collect from the seines on the 

 Roanoke and from those controlled by the Wood Brothers across the 

 bay, but as very few fish were being taken at these points the attempt 

 was abandoned. Eggs continued to come in daily from the arrival 

 of the vessel until April 25, the total take aggregating 12,334,000. Of 

 these, 10,242,000 were secured from Dr. Capehart's seines. 



The results attained in this region would undoubtedly have been much 

 better had the weather conditions been more favorable. It was exceed- 

 ingly warm during March, and consequently the number of fish cap- 

 tured then was unusually large, the take at one fishery being four times 

 as great as that of the preceding year for the same period. About the 

 time the vessel arrived it became much cooler, and the mean tempera- 

 ture from March 30 to April 19 was under 60°. This tended not only to 



