The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-01-18
Bill to Protect Fish of
PamIico andAIbemarle.
STOP EXTERN NATION
Or. H. M. Smith. of The United States
Fish Commission, Delivered Inter-
esting Address at the Joint
Committee Meeting
Yesterday.

and Fisheries was held yesterday after
noon. lasting several hours, at which
was considered the bill restricting shad
retting in the Albemafle and I'amlico
Sounds and their tributaries, and in
the Chowan River. Several represan-
tatives of The fishing interests of the
Eastern part of the State were pres
ent, and DR.. H. NJ. Smith, of the
United States Fish CommiSS. on, Wash
ington city, was present on invitation
and made a practical and instructive
ttlk on the shad fishery of North Caro-
lima.
The bill is to regulate fishing in
Albemarle and Pamlico Sounds and
waters connected with them 1t pro-
videS that it shall be unlawful to set or
fish any net. seine or appliance OF any
kind for catching fish, at any place
within Il radius of two ana one-half
miles either way from Roanoke
Marshes Lighthouse at distance more
than 300 yards from the shore of Roa-
noke Island, or the mainland on the
eastern side of Croatan and Pamhco
Sounds; or to set a pound OF dutch
het on the eastern de OF Pamllco
Sound within ten miles OF the Roa-
noke Marshes Lighthouse, except such
as shall be fished within sou yards OF
the Roanoke Island or Hog Island or
Duck Island shores; or to set a dutch
or pound net on the eastern side OF
Famlico Sound more than 1000 yards
west of a line running south-southeast
from Big Island to Bulhead or Shoal
west of Ch camacomico, or south Oh
that Doint more than 1000 yards from
the shoals as marked on the united
state government chart; or TO SET
dutch or pound net on the west side q
IN hn
Stumpy Point extending into the wa
ter more than 1000 yards from the
shore of the mainland.
The bill further provides that it snail
he unlawful TO set any dutch or pound
Let in Croatan Sound further from the
shore than one-fifth of the width or
the sound at that point, or to set Sucn
net in the Albemarle Sound or us
tributaries north of Croatan Light
house more than 1900 yards from the
shore of the mainland or TO set such
net or appl ance of any kind for catch
ing fish within a radius OF flVes miles
of any inlet.
The provisions of the act apply only
to that part of each year beginning
January 18th and ending May 10Th.
ANY person who should olate any
provision of this act would be guilty
of a misdemeanor. and would he fined
ar imprisoned in the discretion OF the
court.
In the event of this act being v.o-
lated the Oyster Commissioner or ms
assistant, is authorized to raid Inc
fishery and capture such nets ana
other appliances and arrest the hSh-
az men in such manner as United
states marshal falls upon an Illicit
still.
Mr.. VIM. M. Bond of Elento,, first
STOKE and said that he came fully I'D
the ca'I5aicity of an attorney. me
above bill he said, was the outcome OF
what the delegates to convention
called by the fishermen OF Eastern
North Carolina. had practically framed
for the protection and preservation OF
fish in the Albemarle and Pamlico sec
.tions- He said that the fish on acccuht
of the tremendous catches MADE py
the dutch and pound nets, Kept LIE
breeding fish from going TO tnelr
sDaWning grounds and that IL inns were
continued all the shad would De ue-
stroyed. With all the people - t i,,
ahowan sect .on fishing is the chief IN
dustrv. declared Mr.. Bond, and 1t must
l,e nrotec1ed. The bill affects the peo-
ME Of ChoWan section as well as thoSr
of tho Albamarle and Pamllco, ana
that it discriminates against no one
re explalned n detail the provision
of the bill. and then introduced III
smith.
DR.. Smith said in part: ,
North Carolina is IN the 1ront RAIN
of the States with important hsherleS'
and in some respects her fisheries are
more valuable and extensive than
those of any sother state. ABOUT
$4,000 persons are engaged IN the III ,
dustry. nearly $2.000,0O0 is invested
and the annual value or your Water
crop is more than $1,700,0oo IL Is
YOU that YOUR most important SAT-
water products are mullets, sea trout
oysters and CLAIMS. ana your most Wall
liable fresh water species hefflhg' sIidu
and rock fish, these three nsh ndNilS
more than one-third the total Value
of the fisheries of the state. Inc s asa, :
alone represents upwards OF one-Alln
Of the fishing industry of the state.
and is worth much more than any
other single product.
LAS | understand the matter. the
present hearing has to do chlefly Win
the condition and needs or the silau
fishery; and my remarks Will De III
rected thereto.
You are properly and naturally
deeply concerned regarding the snad
and incidentally those fishes which are
caught at the same time, and IN the
same manner as the shad and nave
detailed figures showing the state OF
the shad fishery at frequent Intervals
during the past % years, and the
changes which have taken place. The
Bureau of Fisheries has made numer-
Gus canvasses of the fishing industry
of North Carolina. and its agents have
visited every fishing community in the
State. and gathered accurate statistics
in regard to the number of persons
engaged. the vessels used, etc, and
last year there was made a special
investigation of the shad fishery. and
we secured detailed statistics for
1904 These figures indicate that the
number of persons employed was =
39S: capital invested $713,433; value
of the catch $312,950.
THE earliest year for which there
are complete statistics of the shad
catch is 1880. From then till 1897
the trend was upward, chiefly as {
result OF gradual increase in the
amount of apparatus usef rae -