Fishing in North Carolina. 121 



seine in Albemarle Sound. Many of the fish 

 are sold fresh, but the principal trade is in salt 

 fish, -which are put up in various ways in barrels 

 holding 200 pounds. 



The menhaden is a very valuable commercial 

 fish, being caught chiefly for conversion into 

 oil and guano. Being very fat it is not much 

 eaten. . 



The salt water mullet is caught in every 

 county bordering on salt water. This is by far 

 the most abundant and important salt water 

 fish in !N"orth Carolina. It is found on ocean 

 beaches, and in the sounds and estuaries during 

 a large part of the year ; and is caught in drag 

 nets. The numbers taken are simply enormous, 

 sometimes as many as 500 barrels being secured 

 at a single haul. Two species of this fish range 

 along our coast, and in 1903 nearly seven mil- 

 lion pounds were taken. 



The Spanish mackerel attains a large size, 

 from 9 to 10 pounds. As a food fish, it is one 

 of the choicest, being hardly surpassed by the 

 pompano. 



ISTorth Carolina has long been famous for its 



