Fishes ok North Carolina 
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the shad, ale wives, hickory shad, striped bass, white perch, 
eel and sturgeon. Of the salt water fishes would be included 
the mullets, squeteagues, Spanish mackerel, croaker, spot 
and menhaden. The principal fresh water fish is the large- 
mouthed black bass. The spotted squeteague, pig fish, hick- 
ory shad and black bass are taken in larger quantities in 
North Carolina than in any other State. 
On account, however, of over-fishing and non-enforcement 
of present laws relating to the fisheries, the industries are 
deteriorating and in some instances quite rapidly. Unless 
the State will provide prompt and adequate protection to the 
shad, alewives, striped bass and other species which are be- 
ginning to show a decrease in abundance, they will soon 
share the same fate as the sturgeon. 
There is no reason why the fisheries of North Carolina 
should not be maintained for an indefinite period and even 
be very greatly improved; and to this end the session of the 
Legislature of 1907 created a Fsh Commission, but with very 
limited powers. It is to be hoped that at the session of 1909 
the powers of the Fish Commission will be increased so that 
it will be in a position to prevent the causes of decline in 
these industries and be able to utilize all resources for build- 
ing up and increasing the abundance of fish. 
The Geological and Economic Survey, in cooperation with 
the United States Bureau of Fisheries, has carried on certain 
lines of work in regard to the protection and reproduction of 
the fishes of North Carolina, conducted through the Biolog- 
ical Laboratory at Beaufort, the hatchery at Edenton and 
the temporary hatching stations near Weldon. A number of 
fish have been introduced into the waters of North Carolina, 
some of which have become widely distributed and firmly 
established, such as the rainbow or California trout and the 
carp. 
Large numbers of native fishes from outside hatcheries 
have been planted in the State, among these being the brook 
trout, large-mouthed and small-mouthed black basses, various 
sun-fishes, and several kinds of cat fishes. 
