FISHERIES OF THE SOUTH ATLANTIC STATES. 
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IV.— FISHERIES OF GEORGIA. 
The coast line of Georgia is shorter than that of any other State in this section, 
its extreme length following the general trend being only about 100 miles; but it is so 
broken by numerous sounds, river months, and islands that its actual length is piob- 
ably not less than 500 or 600 miles. The coastal region is physically similar to South 
Carolina, consisting of a belt of low sandy or marshy islands and peninsulas inter- 
vening between the ocean and the mainland. Beginning on the north the principal 
islands are, in their order, Wassaw, Ossabaw, St. Catherine, Sapelo, St. Simon, Jekyl, 
and Cumberland; the largest sounds are Wassaw, St. Catherine, Sapelo, Doboy, Alta- 
maha, St. Simon, and Cumberland. The chief rivers are the Savannah, forming the 
boundary between Georgia and South Carolina, the Ogeechee, Altamaha, Satilla, and 
St. Marys, the latter intervening between Georgia and Florida. 
Savannah, the most important city on the coast of Georgia, is situated on the 
Savannah River, about 20 miles from the ocean, arid is the headquarters of the fish- 
eries and fish trade of the State. Other fishing centers in the coast region are Bruns- 
wick, near the head of St. Simon Sound, and Darien. 
FISHING-GROUNDS. 
The faunal features of the coast and rivers of Georgia are like those of South 
Carolina. The sounds and river mouths are favorite resorts for numerous salt-water 
fishes and abound in crabs, shrimps, and terrapin. Sturgeon, striped bass, shad, and 
alewives periodically ascend the rivers, in which are also found a large variety of 
cat-fishes, suckers, sunfishes, and other edible species. The ocean fishing-grounds 
consist of small isolated coral banks, to which snappers, blackfish, etc., are attracted 
in large schools by the abundance of food. The principal offshore grounds resorted 
to by the fishermen of Georgia are as follows : (1) Tybee Ground, described in the 
chapter on the fisheries of South Carolina; (2) Tybee Deep-water Ground, situated 40 
miles southeast from the Tybee light-house, which is about 3 miles long and 2 miles 
wide, has a depth of 15 to 18 fathoms, has a bottom. of corals, “willows,” sand, and 
shells, and is frequented chiefly from January to March for blackfish and snappers; 
(3) Sapelo Ground, located about 10 miles east of Sapelo Island, is 4 miles long and 1 
mile wide, is 9 to 10 fathoms deep, has a bottom consisting of corals and shells, and 
is visited by Charleston and Savannah fishermen from June to January, blackfish and 
snappers being caught. 
IMPORTANCE AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE FISHERIES. 
While the fisheries of Georgia are of less extent than those of any other State in 
this region, their relatively small importance depends upon the fact that they are 
undeveloped rather than upon any scarcity of fishery products or upon any difficulties 
in the way of prosecuting the industry. In the numerous bays and sounds and in 
the shore waters desirable food -fishes are found in great variety and abundance, but 
are taken only in small quantities. In the rivers, on the other hand, fishing has been 
more extensively prosecuted, and it would appear that in the case of the alewives and 
sturgeon there has been overfishing. 
