The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-04-13
OUGHT ! TO ORGANIZE
The Fishermen Would Find
in it Untold Benefit.
They Could Meet at Roanoke Island and Could
Come in Their Own Boats With Their
Own Supplies.

ought to get together once a.
year, through regularly appointed dele-I
gates, at central point like Roanoke
Island and become acquainted with what
is going on among themselves and else
where. They should not only know of all
these oyster canneries which have sprung
up at Elizabeth City, Belhaven and else
where, the fish oil factories iat Beaufort
and near Wilmington, the attempts to
make canned goods of crabs, the putting
in of trap-nets in outside waters at Hat
teras cape and inlet and learn how these
enterprises are established and conducted
and at what gain or loss. They ought to
discuss the markets in supplies, as net
ting rope salt, barrels, fish boxes, ice,
transportation and other equally impor-
tant phases of their business.
Their alewve or herring product,
amounting to sixteen million pounds, re-
turns them but eighty cents per 100
pounds. When articles of meat are sell
ing at n rate so much higher than this,
it is manifest that they can effect better
sales than at present realized. just think
of well-cured and sound fish at eight
tenths of cent per pound. and compare
this with any other article of fish or
meat?
There are untold benefits to be derived
from improved methods in capturing,
icing. sailing and marketing There are
fishermen in the State who realize the
truth of this statement and who are out
stripping their neighbors by pursuing
more enlightened methods. If each fish
erman would reflect on the small amount
of knowledge he has himself gained COM
pared with the vastly larger fund
quired through Others and consider how
widely apart they live and carry on their
businesses they would awaken to the
Importance of getting into a closer aSso-
citation. They need have no jealous fears
lest such an inter- communication would
work to the disadvantage of some. The
product of this State is not a drop in the
bucket, compared with the vast number
OF consumers, and there is room for each
one to be profited.
I respectfully suggest to our fishermen
that they unite in a friendly and generous
support of the Roanoke Island celebra
tion, in securing the appropriations,
placing the promoting company's stock.
developing and carrying out the enter
prise and with the Interior purpose of
e laying the foundation of a cooperative
association among themselves, a per-
manent building for example.
They have innumerable interests in
common. Take for example the question
of legislation. 1t is we'll known that the
vast majority of our legislators are un-
familiar with the nature of the eastern
fishing business and as a consequence
are often unable to arrive at he facts
and duty. If State Association were to
oil
lation great deal of the prejudicial
type of enactments would be prevented.
We have seen the rise and development
of the great seines operated by steam
the great activities with the gill net, the
introduction and growth of the trap or
pound net, The iced fish trade grow up,
the Improvement in putting up salt fish,
the Introduction of oyster dredging and
canneries, large investments in ocean
fishing and oil and fertilizer factories
We value quick transportation and ice
making concerns, in facilitating opera
lions. These growths and evolutiOns
came about without any cooperation, at
least with but little, on the part of the
fishermen.
If We didn't have nice healthy sea-
shore to meet at in the summer. here
might be some excuse for holding apart
but there is not that excuse, and at any
point from Beaufort to Manteo. eighty
five per cent of the fishing population of
the State could come together in their
fishing boats and under their own sail.
We ought to get out a nice hand book of
these counties for the membership OF the
Fisheries Association and for sale to
others. The wild fowls that frequent the
fishing section are of enough interest to
afford alone, the materials for hand
book, and are enough to constitute almost
a fairyland. Yet of these birds we have
not even collection of representative
engravings. We should at the least.
have a knowledge of them compiled, for
protective legislation purposes. Senator
Vance was interested in their protection,
as he was marvelously impressed with
them. We should prepare a brief, illus
trated textbook for adoption in the pub
lie schools of the fisheries counties of a
natural history character and touch every
branch of the capture, handling and mar
keting OF the water products. 1t should
embrace boat building, net-mal1ing hand
ling of fish products and production of
all secondary products, as oils, fertilizers,
Clues, pearl buttons from mussel shells
and cookery, etc. If such textbooks are
in actual use in Japan, IT is reasonable
to suggest that we should waste no fur
Their time in adopting such methods here.
Let the fishermen meet at Roanoke Is
land and with none but the highest OBJ
iects in view seek to unite in gaining all
possible benefits to be derived from the
splendid natural resources of the fisheries
section, and let us have, at least, pool
of living swan to ornament and add in
terest to the Sir Walter Raleigh cele-
bration. S. G. WORTH
Edenton, n c., April IL.