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PAGES
CARTERET COUNTY NEWS -TINES
MOREHEAD CITY AND BEAUFORT, NORTH CAROLINA TUESDAY, NOV. 13, 1961
ANNUM
FISHING
EDITION
Government to Replace Fisheries Lab
Scientists Frown
On Effort to Curb
Shrimp Industry
Committee Issues Report
On Alleged Destruction
Of Food Fish by Trawls
The effect of the shrimp trawling
in Pamlico Sound on the yield of
commercial fish is not as destruc
tive as has been alleged during re
cent months. Although it is well
known that the shrimp trawlers
do kill large numbers of young
commercial fish, this in itself is not
necessarily responsible for the very
small catches of fish in recent
years.
This was the opinion of a tech
nical committee composed of scien
tists of fishery laboratories of
Maryland, Virginia, North and
South Carolina, and the U. S. Fish
ery laboratory which reviewed cri
tically the evidence of destruction
of small fish ia Pamlico Sound be
fore a recent section meeting of the
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries
commission.
C. E. Atkinson of the U. S. Fish
ery laboratory at Beaufort, who
acted as chairman for this commit
tee, stated that in 1948 when the
failure of the croaker fishery in
Chesapeake Bay first became criti
cal, attention was directed to the
possible relationship between the
intensive shrimp fishery in Pamli
co Sound and the absence of croak
ers in the Chesapeake.
Actually, there is no evidence
from tagging or other studies which
indicates a migration of Pamlico
fish into the Chesapeake area, the
chairman stated. Even the croaker
spawning apparently takes place
off the mouth of Chesapeake Bay
and the several North Carolina in
lets immediately adjacent to the
nursery areas.
Attached to the report was a
copy of a paper by Dr. E. W. Roe
lofs, Institute of Fisheries Re
search, Morehead City, which is the
most complete work that has been
done on this problem.
The committee stressed the fact
that all fish are subject to extreme
large natural mortalities which
would far overshadow any damage
(Coatlned on Page 5)
Fishermen Trudge Home
Harkers Islanders Captain Stacy Davis, William B. Guthrie, Harold
W. Yeomans, and 8. Clark Davis cast lengthy shadows aa they walk
down the beach after a day's try. See story on Harkers Island page It.
Nr. aa4 Mrs. Bart Davis
| Count 77 Descendants |
Seventy-seven living descendants
? that's the score for Mr. and Mrs.
Bert S. Davis of Harkers Island ?
and there are not many couples
who can beat it.
They have eight children, five
girls and three boys, 52 grandchil
dren, and 17 great grand children.
Mr. Davis, who will be 73 on his
next birthday, March 23, works at
Way Brothers fish house, Beaufort.
He lives there during the week and
goes home on weekends.
Mrs. Davis is the former Necy
Salter of Atlantic. Although Mr.
Davis was born at Croatan in Dare
county and lived eight years in
Elizabeth City, Harkers Island has
been his home for the past 65 years.
He's been connected with the
fish business all his life, either
fishing or running buy boats.
When asked if he could keep
track of all his family, he laughed
and shook his head, then remarked
proudly, "But they all come home
on Saturday and Sunday!"
Sidewalk Skipper
Capt. Bonner Willis, who is fish
ing for Lambert Morris's fish fac
tory, Beaufort, had a catch of 400,
000 menhaden for the week ending
Nov. 3.
Machine and Supply co., Beau
fort, recently installed a 110 Diesel
in the deep sea trawler, The Clay,
owned by Clayton Fulcher of At
lantic. They also put a 110 in the
Old Crow, trawler out of Southport
owned by T. B. Watts, and two
110s in the tug Damyank out of
Wilmington.
Machine and Supply, widely
known boat outfitters, handles So
nar depth recorders, radio-tele
phones, automatic pilots, and di
rection finders. Willie I pock and
Bob Slater, owners and operators,
have announced the additiSn of
the Wayne Electronics .line and
electric service station.
A couple weeks ago William Way
of Way Brothers fish house, Beau
fort, remarked, "It looks as though
the fall fishing season's over with."
The season started out good, but
nor'easters fouled things ?p.
Fishing lor Way Brothers an the
Johnny and EUnore, operated by
Charlie Owen*, Beaufort; Two Bro
thers, I kippered by Ash ton Styroo,
Harkers Island; Sea Hone, owned
by Dr. Luther Fulcher and opera
ted by Fred Guthrie, Harkers Is
land; and Lively Lady, fished by
William Harry Bates, Beaufort.
Shrimpers shake their headl
when it comes to talking about the
fall shrimping season. There just
warn't none. Ordinarily the latter
part of October and November see
good shrimp catches, but not this
year.
During October the size of the
(Coatianed on Page J>
Nat PIu Plana Purchase
Purchase of a plane for use by
the law 'enforcement division of
commercial fisheries is oat of the
picture at present, Commissioner
C. D. Kirkpa trick remarked today.
"There are not enough funds,"
he added, "and furthermore, if we
would get a plane, all the tuber
men would soon recognize it and
that would be no good at aH."
He stated that from time to time
the division may hire a plane for
checking fishing groands. ? -> ? '
Fishing Improves;
State Makes Gains
Shellfish taxes in North Carolina
for the fiscal year 1050-51 dropped
one thousand dollars from the pre
vious year, but overall tax collec
tions netted approximately five
thousand dollars more, according
to the report made by the division
of commercial fisheries.
The classification, "shellfish"
does not include oyiters. The oyster
tax for the 1950-51 fiscal year also
increased over that of 1940-50 by
$900.
The total amount received in
taxes besides "shellfish" and oys
ters for 1950-51 was *54,199.25 as
against *4# .200 the previous year.
The state appropriation for 1950-51
was $55,382 making the total reve
nue for the commercial fisheries
division last year $130,045.25.
With the exception of shrimp,
all shell fisheries made increased
catches during the 1950-51 fiscal
year as compared with the year
prior. The number of shrimpers
doubled, .according to license sta
tistics. There were 678 resident
shrimpers in 1949-50 and 1,147 in
1950-51. Thirty-six non-resident li
censee were issued in 1949-50 and
35 in -1950-51. Pounds of shrimp
taken during 1950-51 totaled 3.207,
420 as compared^ with 4.893,548 the
previous year.
No licenses were issued to non
resident menhaden boats in 1950-61.
Menhaden non-resident crewmen
for the recently ended fiscsl year
numbered 337 as compared with
820 the previous year.
According to division of commer
cial fishery statistics 73 menhaden
boats fished North Carolina* waters
in 1950-51, an increase of seven
over the year before.
Statistics substantiate statements
that the scallop industry is reviv
ing. Five hundred thirty-two gal
lons were taken in 1949-50 and
8,409 gallons was the catch in
1950-51.
Other statistics follow:
1NMI
Clams ?
41,809 bushels
Hard cnhs ?
18,198 barrels
Soft crabs ?
13,158 down
Outer*?
113(292 tabs
1950-51 '
52,824 bushels
22,212 barrels
23,929 doien
124.657 tuba
? A long-range building program, which in its entirety
will exceed $100,000, has been initiated on Piver's Island
and will include replacement of the existing United States
Fish and Wildlife laboratory. The announcement of the
new construction plan was made today by C. E. Atkinson,
chief, middle and south Atlantic^
fishery investigations.
Materials 'are already on hand
to begin building the first unit, a
one-story fireproof building which
will house the power plant, ma
chine shops am) provide . storage
facilities. The frame buildings now
serving those purposes will be torn
down.
As the new and modern research
laboratory, offices, and dormitories
go up, the existing three-story
structure, for many years a land
mark on Piver's Island and in the
Beaufort area, will be dismantled.
The building program will continue
over a period of six years.
To begin the work the last ses
sion of Congress appropriated $20,
000, Atkinson said, and an archi
tect has been contacted to design
buildings which will fit into the
present layout and island surround
ings. Homes in which scientists
live and the recently remodeled
radio-isotope laboratory will not be
replaced.
After a thorough inspection of
the present laboratory by federal
engineers in the spring, it was re
commended, Atkinson reported,
that immediate steps be taken to
replace the present building with
funds annualy allowed for repair
and maintenance. Parts of the pre
sent structure were found to have
deteriorated to such an extent that
repair would be very costly, he
added.
Site of the new structure will be
generally the same as the present
one. Completion of the program
will bring to realization a long
time dream of the Fish and Wild
life Service to have a modern re
search laboratory, Atkinson con
cluded.
Institute Tests
Heavy Dredge
At the request of the commercial
fisheries committee the Institute
of Fisheries Research is investi
gating the effect of heavy dredges
on oyster beds.
Dr. A. F. Chestnut, shellfish
specialist, is conducting the inves
tigation, using 225-pound and 165
pound dredges. At present the only
dredge permitted by law is the
100-pound dredge.
The shellfish specialist started
investigations in Hyde county wa
ters Tuesday, Oct 30. Attempts
are being made to determine the
effect of the heavy dredge on dif- .
ferent types of bottom and on the ,
oysters themselves.
W. A. Ellison, Jr., director of
the institute, said it may be found
that the heavy dredges completely
tear up the rock, thus removing |
places of attachment for oysters,
or the dredge may break the oys- '
ter bills (edges of oysters) causing J
the shellfish to die.
George Clark, oyster dealer of 1
Belhaven, has put one of his large 1
boats at the disposal of the com- |
mercial fisheries division for use
by the institute.
Director Ellison said that the '
heavy dredges are used extensively
by owners of private beds in Msry
land and he intends to check on
effects of their use there. A report
on the institute's findings is ex
pected to be ready by the second .
week in December.
State Seeks Bids
The Department of Purchase and '
Contract of the atate of North Caro
lina has requested sealed bids on '
sale of the Pamlico, vessel in the
state fleet. Bids will be accepted 1
by the Department of Purchase and I
Contract until Thursday. i
We Investigator
Studies Fishes
Of Rough Grounds
Dr. H. F. Kritzler, resident inves
tigator at Duke Marine laboratory,
Piver's Island, is conducting an ex
tensive study of fishes in the rough
grounds off this coast ? grounds
that are not fished by small boats
and fished only recently by Urge
trawlers equipped with rollers.
Although his interest is primari
ly scientific, he believes that there
may be the possibility of new fish
eries, and thus the opening of new
doors in commercial fishing.
One of the most interesting fish
taken on the rough grounds .is the
"ribbon fish." a West Indian iish
which at present is listed as being
found only "as far north as Pensa
cola, Fla." Says Dr. Kritzler. "This
type of fish is common offshore,"
but he believes the North Carolina
species is a sub-species of the "rib
bon fish" found farther south or a
species in its own right ? his
opinion at present leans more to
ward the latter.
Called 'High Hat'
Because of the fish's high dorsal
fin, some Florida natives call it the
"high hat," and other smaller rela
tives are called cubbyu. As for the
term "ribbon," this derives from
the fact that the fish is marked
over its grey body with a wide
black stripe running from the low
er part of its high fin back to Ike
tail and also has another atrip*
running down, behind its eye, to
ward its ventral f is.
Dr. Kriuler has one specimen
that is 14 inches long. "They ought
to be good eating, because they
belong te the croaker family," de
clared the scientist. He plans to
cook himself a mess of ribbon fish
soon and find out
Ribbon fish apparently don't taka
bait, they feed at night, and hove
been found only in trawl nets.
Dr. Kritzler has many types of
unfamiliar and beautiful fish which
have been taken on the rough
grounds off this coast. The butter
fly fish is common on rough
grounds east of Cape Lookout aad
between Cape Fear and New river.
The angel fish, highly esteemed m
an edible delicacy in the West la
dies, Is found in nearby waters.
There it also the locust lobster
which can be taken by trawl at
night.
Food Prejudice
Dr. Kri tiler points out that maajr
persons pass up delectable seafood
merely because they are prejudiced
?gainst it. For example he says that
squid is no more repulsive looking
than an oyster or clam, yet people
refuse to eat it Conchs, he added,
ire not pretty either, and yet he
says that "coochburger" and
'squidburger" are good eating.
Among the trawlers equipped to
#ork the rough grounds in which
Dr. Kritzler is interested are the
"lay of Atlantic, the Victory of
Vforehead City and Norfolk, the
F'ulcher, also of Atlantic, and the
rlalf Moon of Vandemefe.
Dr. Kritzler is always interested
n any rare type of fish taken by
be commercial fishermen and will
velcome their bringing their "qaae
ion mark of the deep" to him.
[?oanaltte* to Meet
The executive committee of the
nstitute of Fisheries Research will
Mid its quarterly meeting Moaiir
it the institute, Moreheed City.