The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1922-03-10
GOVERNOR MORRISON Is
IN FOR MORE FISH NOW
thinks Every North Carolnian Should Have Ac-
cess to North Carolina Fish and Purposes
to See What Can Be Done About 1t
BY W. o. SAUNDERS

aroma tl>uSilSS NOiilIlll>SlOLi
are planning 4 personal inspec-
non and survey of the fishing
grounds Of the upper North Car
a';ra Sounds to get first hand
impressions as q possible basis
tor a program for greater fish
production and fish distribution
in North Carolina. The trip will
he made on the Fisheries Com
mission Yacht, Atlantic, starting
from either Morehead City or
, Elizabeth City late in March or
early in April. The exact date
and starting point are to be de-
tcrmined later.
Governor Morrison has an idea that
greater rrog~eSS should be made in the
fishing industry in North Carolina and
chat the people of the whole state
sbond be better acquainted with our
f~rcrirS industry. and. if possible. Civ
on better opportunities to obtain more
fish oysters. clans. shrimp, Scallops.
ere rroduced in their own state. In
rho interior OF North Carolina people
are eating fish from Georgia, Florida
and Virginia and seldom getting fish
caught in their own North Carolina
,y9rerS. the North Carolina product
going mostly to baltimore. Philadelphia
and New York markets.
Governor Morrison called the Fisher
ia> Commission Board to conference
in his Office at the capitol in Raleigh
last Saturday. Without any definite
thing in mind. but anxious only that our
|, OWL fish should play more important
rt in the dietary of our OWN people
]Bfnycrnor Morrison asked the Fisheries
Iif'ommisSionerS to bsstir themselves and
Hmake a showing for their department
I even as the state is making a showing
in road construction, public education
home gardening. cooperative market
ing of farm produce. etc. Every arti-
fcinl pond and lake and every small
stream in North Carolina from the
coastal region to the mountains should
ha stocked with edible fish. declares
Governor Morrison. This can be ac'
comnlished BY cooperation with the |
:. Bureau of Fisheries and should be
. MARI of tho Y c. Fisheries Commits
sion future program.
The completion of the state highway
system within the next eighteen months
will put most North CarOlinians within
an easy motor ride of the coastal sec
tiop and should make a more general
distribution of seafood possible. fast
motor trucks carrying the products oi
the sea quickly to the inland towns ant
cities. thinks Governor Morrison.
But the Fisheries Commissioners
left Governor Morrison last Saturday
with TO definite program in view. May
be- something will come out of the leis
urcIv trip over the Sounds when al
will have time to talk and plan anC
study some of the problems first hand
Some Obstacles
No one thinks of increased prOduc
tion of fish in the inland waters o.
North Carolina any more. We have too
.- much production as it is, with more
than 1000 pound nets. say nothing o
thousands Of other rigs. established IL
these inland waters. The fish that get
by the inland water fishermen of NortI
Carolina is some fish.
But there is a greater OppOrtunit!
for increased production in ocean fish
ing in North Carolina. the vast re
sources of thS Atlantic ocean at on
very doors having been practically un
touched except for shark and menhadel
fishing.
md here is where Governor Morris
sons interest in fishing may help t
solve an aggrayating problem and brtn
about something of what is in the bac
of the Governors mind. Thousands o
small fishermen in North Carolina ar
opposed to ocean fishing. Ocean fish
ing requires more expensive apparatu
than the Individual poor fishermen
l5lc to buy. The small fisherman find
himself shut out by the prohlbitiv
costs Of the game.
Blu shat isn't the worst of 1t TO
III" small fisherman: tn" ocean fisher
4 mau with his pounds and purse seine
catches tons of fish where the inlan
fisherman catches only pOand' in hi
. gill nets and drag seiues And it ofte
happens that whep the l;ttle fello'
pIowS into port with few boxes Q
FISH ordinarily worth six TO ten cents
d p"und, he finds himself in eOmpetitio
4 vr:h cargo of fish from the oeea
sold in ton lots at maybe two cents
i rourd.
Il Fish Must Move Quick.
4 Suddcn drops in the price nf fiSl
s quilted markets and Generalization 6
'h" industry generally is iue to th
highly periShabla nature of fish and tn
lack OF facilities for storage and dis
|& '"'.;ion. The fishermen can not hOl
n tur.r fish over even from one day
&E"'rrr but must unload them quickl
"' ,oM- nearby point and take whateN
'F rapriciOuS market offers. If theI
is 'uly one fish dealer az that poiI
s. lAe fisherman is at the mercy of Ii
LSA dealer. Or if there are doze
u"trS and all agreed upon prices Il