THE POUND-NET FISHERIES OF THE ATLANTIC STATES. 607 
According to the information obtained by Mr. Goode from Captain Ashby in 1877, it appears 
that certain pounds at Napeague in 1876 caught nothing but squid. Each pound took an average 
of 15 tons every morning during six weeks. This was during the last of May and through the 
month of June. 
Between Orient and Oyster Bay, on the sound shore, the fishermen are mostly the farmers of 
that district. To the eastward, however, many nets are owned by non-resident citizens, who pur- 
chase the fishing privileges from the resident owners. 
About Orient and some other regions the season lasts from May to October, but in Flushing 
Bay and elsewhere, where the nets are only employed for shad and menhaden, the fishing times 
occur only in spring. 
New York market absorbs the greater portion of the products of the Long Island pound-nets. 
The fish are commonly sent by rail in ice. Many menhaden are used for manure. 
The total catch of the pounds in 1880 was not less than 1,566,000 pounds. 
Mr. Mather gives the following interesting statistics of two pounds owned by Capt. Henry 
Ballort at East Marion, and regularly in use for nine years. The owner shipped his fish to New 
York market in boxes containing 225 pounds. His shipments for nine years were the following: 
Year. Boxes. | Pounds. 
WT escswevsnsse neusenn annum 272 61, 000 
1872. 1.022 c enn encccrceneee ce 321 12, 225 
ISTE sc ccc coomaneasssiincerecae 368 81, 675 
1874 cosseccnceceawesnwanvasess 820 72,000 
TB1 Ge vieie iseeiais'se cies sicsewenecat 251 66, 475 
1876.......+0- uaceaaceeeae ey 146 82, 850 
IBTT. 002... ce ence ecescecccecs 236 59, 175 
1818s coeie voce deseecdcneezewss 241 64, 225 
VOD vc ceccrennigwngawcesvonsenns 113 25, 425 
Total -ccses'ecesvenestas eeeseeees| 516, 050 
Captain Ballort had kept no record of the separate amounts of various species taken, but 
recollected the annual catch of Spanish mackerel to be about as follows: 1871, 6,000; 1872, 2,500; 
1873, 1,000; 187478, 500; 1879, 10 fish. He says that in 1871 Spanish mackerel were plenty. ‘ 
The number of pound-nets in use in New York State in 1880 was 87, valued at $43,500. 
10. POUND-NET FISHERIES OF NEW JERSEY AND DELAWARE BAY. 
We find the main body of the fisheries occupying but two localities, namely, the west shore of 
New York Harbor to Sandy Hook, and Delaware Bay between Cape May and Dyer’s Creek. Some 
nets are also-set about Barnegat Inlet. Pound nets were introduced into New Jersey in 1855, but 
did not come into general use till 1873. In 1879 there were six pound-nets between Long Branch 
and Sandy Hook, stocking an average of $10,000 each, and clearing fully $7,000 apiece on fish 
taken during the season. In 1880 there were eleven pound-nets in the same section and two 
smaller ones in Sandy Hook Bay. These outer pounds averaged about $8,000 each, and cleared 
$5,500. The best one stocked about $12,000. 
The nets employed in Delaware Bay are peculiar in having two compartments in the bowl, one 
for fish, and one for king-crabs. The king-crab compartment has stakes at the bottom, netting not 
being suited to hold these animals. The other pounds are of the ordinary type. These pounds are 
