Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1923-02-02
THE FISHING FLEET
IN WINTER QUARTERS
AT OTTENS HARBOR
Three Shoals to be Dredged. New Ice
Plant Being Rushed to Completion.
Fish Industry at This Port
Reached Million Dollar
Mark in 1922

Harbor are busy places these days,
although many people labor under the
impression that activities in this sec
ton occur solely through the sum-
mer months. However, at the pres
ent time there are some 90 or rs fish
ing boats anchored in this section.
These include: Alma Bell, with Capt.
Pete Munson; Leonora, with Capt.
Charles Carlberg; Edith Louise, with
Capt. Hogan; Three Friends, with
Capt. John Svenson; Edna Brown. of
Philadelphia, with Capt. Gus Ander-
SON; May Thelma; Shocks, with Capt.
Slower; Holly, with Capt. Oscar Elm
quist; Emily; Hildur Mabel, with Capt.
Charles Carlberg; Elizabeth c., with
Capt. Carlson; Jacob Ockers, with
Capt. Manskan; Nelson, of Philadel-
phia; Carib, of Barnegat City; Clifton,
of Philadelphia; Helmi H., of Phila-
delphia; A & E. Blackman; Mary;
Ruth; Vivi II; Emmy; Marie; Eta
K; Nan; Polly Page; Joe Skill; Ida
r. Page, with Capt. Page; Comanche;
Hattie L.; Henrietta; L. A. M. B.;
Helen L.; Morning Star; Edwin N;
Jennie, and others. When weather
permits the crews of these boats VEN
ture out after their catches of the
t~ivities are in cod fishing and al
though poor weather has not per-
mitted many good catches, still when
the boats do get out there is usually
a shipment of 20 or 80 barrels of the
fish leaves Five Mile Beach for mar
kets throughout the country. On
Saturday a shipment of 2S barrels left
Wildwood. When the men do not get
outside they do not neglect their work,
however. These days in port are oc-
cupied in repairing nets and overhaul
ing the boats in general preparing for
the spring season of fishing. In short,
the men who follow this profession
are year round workers.
The fishermen have been bothered
with shallow water of late at a place
called Three Shoals, near the Rio
Grande avenue drawbridge. A petition
was prepared by Hon. o. l. Blackwell,
secretary of the Wildwood and Della
ware Bay Short Line Railroad, and for
warded to the New Jersey Board of
Commerce and Navigation. Imme-
diate results were obtained and AS
sistant Engineer Henry j. Sherman,
in charge of the Inland Waterways,
was in Wildwood on Tuesday of this
week and took the matter up and
promised that the shallow places
would be dredged out soon.
Work on the new ice plant and
storage house is progressing. An ar
tesian we'll is being drilled to a depth
of $50 feet and 25 carloads of cinders
will be used here for filling in. The
railroad track has been extended
westward to this point. When com
pleted this business will be of great
use to the fishermen. The ice for
icing the fish for shipment can then
be secured directly across from the
wharves and, when necessary, fish
can be stored in the plant until mar
ket conditions are more favorable for
shipping. Men in authority at the
wharves say that the spring and sum-
mer of 1923 is going to see the great
SoI AulIlDCl vi DOobO WI iAS
Ottens Harbor in the history of the
Island. Already many fishermen from
other parts of the country have writ
ten asking about docking privileges
here when the spring run of fish be-
gins. Chief among these are the Mas
sachusetts fishermen, who come here
when the spring run of mackerel be-
gins and stay here until the fish have
passed this point. At present three Of
the boats from here are in southern
waters. These are the Thos. Martin
dale, the John Leonard with Capt.
Leonard in charge, and the Hester,
with Capt. Parsons in command.
Four new boats are now IN the
ways. One is finished and two more
are to be launched in the spring. 1t
is very evident that last years million
dollar fish business of Ottens Harbor
will be increased during 1928.
nAnuTNrn GINA CJTFET q