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BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
Pamlico Sound contains a great wealth of both fresh-water and salt-water fish. 
The large bodies of anadromous fish, which occur in the sounds to the north, all pass 
through Pamlico Sound. The salinity of the water permits the entrance of menhaden, 
squeteague, spots, mullet, sheepshead, whiting, hogfish, bluefish, etc., in large numbers. 
Extensive areas are covered with a natural growth of oysters, which have recently 
attained marked prominence and are now, next to shad, the most valuable fishery 
product of the State. The possibilities of the waters of the souud and its tributaries 
for oyster-culture are believed to be very great. Lieut. Francis Winslow found, as 
the result of careful surveys, that the area of the natural oyster beds was 7,400 acres, 
and the area of the bottom that is probably suitable for planting is 620,206 acres, while 
the possible ground available for the purpose is 718,868 acres. 
Gore and Bogue sounds . — Communicating with Pamlico Sound on the north, and ex- 
tending first in a southwesterly and then in a westerly direction, is a long and narrow 
body of water about 50 miles in length and from 1 to 6 miles in width, known as Core 
and Bogue sounds. Their area is about 165 square miles. These communicate with 
the ocean through Beaufort, Bear, aud Bogue inlets. The water is very shoal, vary- 
ing from 1 to 10 feet, and not averaging more than 4 or 5. The people living on the 
shore of these sounds are very generally dependent on the water for a livelihood, and 
the fisheries carried on are very extensive. The principal species taken are mullet, 
squeteague, bluefish, spot, hogfish, Spanish mackerel, and whiting. The catch of the 
two first-named fish in Core Sound is larger than in any other body of water on the 
Atlantic coast. 
About 2,800 acres of bottom in these sounds are covered with native oysters, aud, 
according to Lieut. Winslow, 68,300 acres are probably suitable for oyster-planting. 
Other sounds and rivers . — South of Bogue Souud the coast is fringed with five small, 
shallow sounds, known as Stump, Topsail, Middle, Masonboro, and Myrtle sounds. 
These have but little bearing on the fisheries at present and are chiefly important 
because of the possibilities they have for oyster production and cultivation. White 
Oak and New rivers, the only streams of importance between Beaufort Entrance and 
the Cape Fear Biver, also have natural oyster beds. New Biver is said to contain some 
of the finest oyster-ground in the world, although the absence of shipping facilities 
has, until recently, retarded the development of this important resource. 
Ocean fishing -grounds . — Fishing in the ocean is prosecuted with gill nets and seines 
at many places along the coast, but is especially important on the shore between 
Cape Hatteras and Currituck Souud, where the winter fishery for bluefish has become 
famous. The other species taken in greatest numbers are trout, spot, mullet, drum, 
whiting, Spanish mackerel, and sheepshead. Iu the vicinity of Wilmington, consider- 
able line-fishing is done at times on the blackfish banks located several miles offshore, 
sea bass, grunts, and pigfish being the species taken. The shore between Cape 
Hatteras and Bogue Inlet has a number of seine fisheries for porpoises, which congre- 
gate in this region in large numbers during the colder months. 
IMPORTANCE OF THE FISHERIES. 
The fishing industry of North Carolina ranks as one of the most important busi- 
ness enterprises of the State, and in the coastal regions is no doubt of greater value 
than any other single branch of trade. There are few States having so large a popu- 
lation so entirely dependent on the fisheries for alivelibood, and there are few sections 
