BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 193 
47.— THE STRIPED HASS OR ROCKFI8H INDUSTRY OF ROANOKE 
ISLAND, NORTH CAROLINA, AND VICINITY. 
SSY S. G, WORTH, 
Field superintendent. 
Large quantities of striped bass are caught here, the industry being 
perhaps the largest anywhere to be found. I arrived on the island, at 
Manteo, the last week in December, when operations had been termi- 
nated, but upon inquiry of many persons, nearly all inhabitants being 
fishermen, I obtained a fair outline of the industry from its origin. The 
fishery is of recent establishment, having been put on foot in the year 
1872. Little else is captured other than the rockfish, and nearly the 
entire product finds its way in ice to the Northern cities, via canal to 
Norfolk. The establishment and continuance of the pursuit accounts 
fully for the decrease or disappearance of the species at the fisheries 
higher up on the Albemarle Sound, as the Roanoke Island fishermen 
remove thousands of fish from the waters each fall season upon their 
entrance into the fresh-water sounds from the sea in search of food. 
About Roanoke Island, in the spring time, the shad fishery produces 
about 500,000 shad, valued at $110,000, and the fall “ rocking ” is con- 
sidered by the fishermen to be equal to two-thirds of the value of the 
shad catch, or about that. 
At Roanoke Island, and immediately around there in the Pamlico, 
Oroatan, and Albemarle Sounds, from September 5 to December 25, 
there are operated 1 seine, 9 purse seines, 25 drag-nets, and 17 pound - 
nets or traps in capturing rockfish. 
In the Albemarle Sound, near Alligator River (mouth), 21 pounds or 
traps; at Durant’s Island, 5 pounds; in Alligator River, 13 pounds; and 
near Edenton Bay and Rockyhock Creek, 7 pounds. In Pasquotank 
River, 3 pounds; a total of 9 purse seines, 1 haul seine, 25 drag-nets, 
and 66 pounds or traps. Besides, there is considerable twine used in 
gill-nets to capture this species in Alligator River in fall and winter. 
Netting employed. 
Device. 
No. 
Fathoms. 
Size of mesh (stretched). 
Seine 
1 
9 
25 
G6 
5 
800 
900 
, 2,500 
6, 600 
750 
Wings, 2J inches; bunt, 2 inches; depth of 
net, 300 meshes, or 7 to 10 fathoms. 
Mesh as in purse-seines. 
Leads, 2^ inches ; pocket or trap, 2 inches. 
G-inch mesh. 
Purse-aeines 
Drag-nets 
Pounds or traps 
Crops gill-nets (estimated) 
Total 
10G 
11, 550 
Bull. U. S. F. G. 87 18 
