58 



REPOET OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



season proved two or three weeks later than usual, tlie weather being 

 ver}' unfavorable, and though all the seines, nets, and traps within a 

 radius of 10 to 15 miles were visited daily the new men had little 

 chance to gain experience, and as a consequence became despondent. 

 When the water attained the right temperature for the shad to spawn 

 they came on so suddenly that the apprentices were helpless, having 

 had no opportunity of acquainting tliemselves with the work. Toward 

 the end they became efficient and sufficiently interested to insure 

 their being reliable spawn-takers in the future, but many eggs were 

 lost in the meantime. Work was pushed Aigorousl}^ however, niglit 

 and day, so that we succeeded in enlisting the sympathy and active 

 cooperation not only of fishermen operating on well-known spawning- 

 grounds, but new fields were develoijed in the Roanoke River and at 

 Skinner Point, several miles east of Edenton. 



The grounds on the Roanoke are virtually confined to the drift gill- 

 nettei*s, who operate very short nets, but they catch ripe shad and in 

 such a way that all of the eggs can be saved. It required unremitting 

 personal effort to enlist their interest, but another year will find them 

 anxious to save the eggs. Their nets were operated mainly within 3 

 miles of the river mouth, making them easy of attendance and much 

 more profitable than the seines on the upper river, which capture 

 large numbers of fish but furnish very few eggs. It has also been 

 found that numbers of eggs can eventually be secured from trap nets. 

 A number of ripe fish Avere reported from Mackaj'es Ferry, but owing 

 to lack of experienced men the nets there could not be attended. 



In the shallow waters around the mouth of the Roanoke and Cashie 

 rivers the cooperation of the stake-net gillers was secured and a few 

 eggs obtained. An excellent spawning-ground was developed at 

 Hornblower or Skinner Point, 4 miles below Edenton, one trap net 

 yielding over 800,000 eggs. There is no doubt that this will prove a 

 valuable field next season, but the most important spawning-gronnds 

 in the vicinity are on the Chowan River. Unfortunately, no gill-net 

 fishing is done here, but the four seines operated will undoubtedly 

 yield large numbers of eggs. It is also hoped that additional eggs 

 will be received from the traps, large numbers of which are fished on 

 the river. The area covered embraces about 86 square miles, and it 

 is urged that a first-class steamer, capable of running in all kinds of 

 weather, be provided as a part of the permanent equipment of the 

 station. A second boat should also be available for a month or six 

 weeks during the season. 



The following table shows the number of eggs collected by localities: 



Collected by— 



Roanoke 

 River. 



Chowan Albemarle 



River. Sound. 



1 



Totals. 



Gill-nets... 



Number. 

 2,989,000 

 353,000 



Number. 



Number. 

 1,660,000 

 173, (X)0 



Number 

 4,649,000 

 4,844.(X)(( 

 910, WiO 



Seines 



4,319,000 

 107 000 



Traps 









Total 



3,342,000 



4,436,000 



3,636,000 



10,404,000 





