THE PAMLICO AND TAR RIVERS. 631 
SHAD “RuUNS.”—The great preponderance of buck shad at the beginning of the season, and 
again in April, would indicate that in the Neuse River, at east, there are two distinct runs of 
shad, viz, in January and in May. This conclusion agrees with the general belief of the fishermen 
on all the rivers of Carolina. Although the first run commences in January, shad fishing does 
not begin until the month following. The average duration of the entire fishing season is sixty 
days. 
STATISTICAL REVIEW OF NEUSE RIVER FISHERIES. 
The following tables show the number of men, with nets and boats, and value of the same, 
employed in the Neuse River fisheries during the season of 1879-80, also the quantity and value 
of the products and dispostion of the same: 
Number Nets. Boats. Total 
Description of fishery. of mae dire in- 
employee’! wamber.| Value. | Number.| Value. | “°° 
Stake-net .-..........-...26- 166 3, 910 $7, 980 83 $3,080 | $11, 060 
Drag-net......... potaseesdce 15 25 1, 250 25 1, 250 2, 500 
Haul-seine.................. 186 41 3, 135 41 1, 415 4,550 
Pound-net ..-....-..-....--. 12 6 1, 500 6 240 1,740 
Skim-net ...-.....-.......2. 272 136 476 136 476 952 
Total oo.2.jesccenctaces 711 4,118 14, 341 | 291 6, 461 20, 802 
Shad. Herring.* Mixed fish Total. 
Disposition. 
Number. | Value. | Number. | Value. | Number. | Value. | Number. | Value. 
Shipped to interior markets ..........-....0..00005 49,698 | $12, 424 442, 000 $2,652 | 2,106,882 | $17,557 | 2,598, 580 $32, 633 
Shipped to Northern cities..............2..00 000005 15, 624 GGBT | isis ste sou sd |lneatncinclees +49, 230 1, 641 64, 854 6, 328 
Estimated for consumption in New Berne.........- 5, 000 1, 250 100, 000 600 300, 000 2, 500 405, 000 4, 350 
Estimated for consumption along the river..-..... 8, 000 2, 000 100, 000 600 300, 000 2, 500 408, 000 5, 100 
Potalevisccaetexsiey eae atieneh awe ueceaen aod 78,322 | 20, 361 642, 000 3,852 | 2,756,112 | 24,198 | 3,476,434 48, 411 
*Clupea xstivalis and C. vernalis. t Of this number 15,660 are rock and 28,890 bass. 
3. FISHERIES OF PAMLICO AND TAR RIVERS. 
Pamlico River as designated on the charts is only the estuary of Tar River. The physical and 
hydrographic features of Pamlico River are in general similar to those of the Neuse below New 
Berne. 
The methods of fishing pursued in Pamlico and Tar Rivers are the same as on the Neuse 
River with this exception, that near Washington, N.C., a large seine, like those used on the 
Albemarle River, is operated. ° 
As on the Neuse River, the principal fisheries are those for the capture of shad and herring, 
the former being by far the more important. 
All the fish taken from this river, with the exception of those retained for local consumption, 
are sent to Washington, N. C., whence, after having been packed in ice, they are transported by 
rail to a point on the Roanoke River. Here they are placed on board a steamer and shipped to 
Norfolk, from which point they are distributed, as consigned, to the various Northern cities. The 
product of the Pamlico River fisheries, as also the number of men employed, is about the same as 
that estimated for the Neuse River. But in the absence of detailed information on the subject, 
no statistical summary is given. 
