Newspapers / Carteret County News-Times (Morehead … / Oct. 11, 1955, edition 3 / Page 23
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Fergus Family Has Operated Fish Business for 40 Years Robert Fergus of Wilmington operates a fish business which has over a period of 40 years been run by three generatioite of his fam ily. F The size of the plant has grown considerably since the company was founded in 1915 by D. J. Fer gus, grandfather of the present owner. The present plant, a brick structure, occupies about a fourth of a city block on Water Street near /(he Cape Fear River in Wil mington. The first owner bought from in dependent fishermen and shipped mostly by railway express. He op erated the firm until his son, R. C., father of the present operator, took over in 1933. Today the firm still buys from Independents, but operates a fleet of insulated trucks, including two ten-wheelers, and two five-ton trucks which service regular retail outlets as far away as Charlotte, N. C., and Myrtle Beach, S. C. The firm also ships a great deal of seafood to Virginia and the nor thern markets. Owning no boats, Fergus buys from the entire east coast and the Great Lakes region as well. Out of-state buying is particularly heavy during the spring and sum mer, which is the off-season for fish in this area. Spots and mul lets taken in beach seines in the Wilmington area, supply much of the firm's stock in the fall. Oysters are handled the year round. They are obtained in the summer months from out-of-state producers. The W?tcr Street plant includes cold storage space, a freezer, and frozen storage space for 2,000 pounds of seafood. The company has been engaged in freezing operations 10 years, processing as much *1 4,200 pounds J. G. Benfield . . . manages plant of food daily at 40 degrees below zero F. Fish Is packaged and fro zen in 25-pound lots, chiefly for the firm's own use in servicing customers. Other frozen seafood includes shrimp, scallops, and clams. Mr. Fergus says his company handles about five times as much seafood ?> it dM 19 ynn ago. A large proportion of the increase he attributes to the freezing op eration. Operations .Shortlived A line wlikh the company tried for over a year at the end of the war, but has since abandoned, was the cooking and peeling of shrimp for restaurants and the northern market. A crab picking operation for the same market was also shortlived. A four-ton flake ice machine sup plies a part of thrice used for wet packing of various products. J. G flenfield, a longtime em ployee who originally came from Gaston County, is general manager of the firm. Started as Youth The company's genial owner, Robert Fergus, has been working in the family enterprise since he was in high school. A part-time job during his school days interest ed him enough to bring him into the business full time after his graduation from New Hanover High School. Robert first ran a retail market for the firm for about five years, until 1940. From 1944 until 1947, RoWrt and his brother, Eldridge, worked as partners with their father, R. C. Upon the death of their father, who had run the business since 1933, the two brothers continued the partnership. Two other brothers had strayed from the family business. One, I.eroy, is practicing medicine in California, having graduated from Duke University and the Medical College of Virginia. Another, D. .1, a graduate of North Carolina Stale College, is employed as a metallurgist in Cleveland. Huya Out Brother In 1951 Robert bought out the interest of his brother, who now operates the Fergus Ark restau rant, a unique floating dining es tsbllshment on Wilmington's wa terfront. Among Robert's other interests is the 1.025-foot Fisherman's Steel Fishing Pier at Carolina Beach. His father served as msyor of the beach for 12 years. His psrtner In the fishing pier is J. R. Bame of Carolina Beach. ll Oyster Types Vary Throughout World By DR. A. F. CHESTNUT There are many different kinds of oysters found growing in va v rious parts of the world. Some species such as the dwarf oysters, which are found in North Carolina near the inlets and in the ocean are of no commercial importance. The common eastern oysters, , known scientifically as Crassostrea Virginica are found distributed from Canada southward along the Atlantic and Gulf coast into Mex ico. They are generally found in the bays and sounds where there is a mixture of fresh and salt wa ters. The oyster is one of the best known marine animals. This is un doubtedly the result of many stu dies which were stimulated by the economic importance of the ani mal. Studies are being conducted in this country along the coasts in each area where oysters are pro duced in commercial quantities. Various problems are being stu died by a greater number of work ers than ever before in the past. Three Major Problems In general, the problems can be grouped into three major cate gories and are similar to the basic problems ol the land farmer. The first problem is the production of seed or small oysters. The second problem is concerned with the growth and protection of the small Ssters until they reach market le size. The third problem is in harvesting. Various projects undertaken by the Institute of Fiiheries Research for the past several yean have been directed toward answering specific questions in each of the three major problems. Ba?ie infor mation is necessary if intelligent programs of conservation and de velopment are to be formulated and carried out. An understanding of the biology and life history of the oyster is essential to the operation of the industry and such studies have been successfully applied in many areas to assist those engaged in the cultivation of oysters. It is necaaaary to know of the spawning and eirly development of oysters In order to obtain a supply of seed oysters. During the spring months of April and May, the oysters in North Carolina de velop spawn which ia commonly called milk. Each oyster is of aep arate sex but may change its sex from year to year. The eggs and sperm are released into the surrounding water* when spawning is initiated. A single fe male oyster may release as many as ISO million eggs during one summer. Studies at the Institute of Fisheries Research have shown that spawning occurs after the wa ter temperatures have riaen above 88 degrees F. and the heaviest spawning occurs when the water temperatures continue to rise to about. 78 degrees F. Temperatures are not the only factor controlling spawning for it has been found that hormonea, salt content, tidal cycles and other still unknown factors exert an influence upon spawning. In North Carolina spawning begins about tha middle of May and continues throvgh September. Peaka of heavy spawning are found at Irregular intervals, fre quently following a sharp rise lu temperature. Larvae swta A few hours after the eggs are fertilised, microscopic larval oys ' ten develop that are capable of swimming. Gradual changes take place for approximate!? tw? veeks, as the larval oysters swim and crawl about or ifre passively car ried by the strong currents. When the larval oysters mature they at tach by cementing themselves to such materials as shell, rock, glass, wood, rubber or metal objects. Before attachment they crawl about for a few hours and are cap able of selecting a particular lo cation. This has been demonstrat ed by studies at the Institute in an effort to determine whether certain types of material may be mcj-e suitable than others for '.he setting of oysters. This period of attachment is considered the most critical period in the life history of the oyster. The larval oysters will perish if suitable material! *re not present to whafctlfoy can attach. Since adult oysters do not move about, the particular location where the larval oysters have attached may determine whether they will sur vive to grow to marketable size. Oyster dealers are required by law to return to the state SO per cent of the shells that result from the harvest of oysters. These shells are scattered on the public areas tq provide material to which the young oysters may attach. This shell planting program is part of the oyster rehabilitation program that is carried on by the Division of Commercial Fisheries of the Board of Conservation and Devel opment in, an effort to maintain the productivity of the natural beds. It is Important that shell plant ings correspond as closely >s pos sible to the time when setting will take place. In some areas sedi ment and silt may cover .any ma terial placed on the bottom and ii other areas heavy growths of plant and animal forms cover th* shells and inhibit the setting of oysters. * Few Smrvive It has been estimated that less than 10 per cent of the millions of eggs that are ipawned live through the larval stage. The final survival of the set that lakes place has been estimated to be less than one per cent of the initial *]>awn Ing. A successful set is dependent upon the number of parent oysters present to provide spawn, the abundance ot animal forms that filter the water for their food and consume many larval oysters, wea ther conditions, and the presence of suitable materials on the bottom for attachment of yvung oysters. At the time of Mttlng, the young oysters are (mailer than the sire of t pinhead. Growth ia rapid for the next several weeks ind in one month they may grow to an inch in length. Market-site oyster* may be produced In North Carolina wa ter* In about three years. Aa the oysters grow they are subject to attack by ihany enemies and an influenced by weather conditions. Oysters growing on soft mud bottom may be smothered aa they alnk Into the bottom with increase in weight Sand bottom* and shoals are not desirable for the bottom* are liable to shift in times ef gales and 1 1 r o n g currents. Drastic change* In the **lt content of the water following heavy raina may lower the salinity to a level that will kill the oyater*. Many animkla tuch (s barnacles and mussels compete with oysters for toed and stiaee. There are many predatory animals that feed upon oysters. Small snalla called oyster drill* are capable of drilling a imall bole through the shell. A aingle drill may kill 900 oysters in a aeaton. In aome area* of Brunswick County as many as 13 drills per square foot have been found. Crabs and some fish can break the shells of an oyster and frequently cause mtu-h damage. One small blue crab was found to kill 14 one inch oysters in two days. A number of animals groW and live in association with oysters awl may indirectly injure oysters through their normal activities. The boring sponge which perfo rates the shells is a serious prob lem in many of our coastal areas. Mud worms form blisters inside the shells and frequently weaken the oysters. The small oyster crab which lives inside the shells usually feeds upon material that the oys ter is rejecting and may at times feed upon the oyster and cause serious damage. Some parasites, not harmful to any other forms, often invade the tissues and kill or weaken the oysters so they can not withstand adverse conditions. Areas Differ The areas where oysters are found in North Carolina vary con siderably in tidal fluctuations, salt content, bottom conditions, presence of enemies, and types of oysters. The various sounds and tributaries from Roanoke Island to the South Carolina line have their own peculiar problems. In Brunswick County the tidal range is from 4 to 6 feet and th* marketable oysters are gathered by hand from exposed reefs on low water. Heavy infestations of boring sponge and large numbers of oyster drills appear to be the factors that limit the growth and survival of oysters below low wa ter. This is true of some areas in Carteret County. The greatest concentration of privately-leased oyster beds is found in Pender, Onslow and Car teret Counties. In these areas the oysters are generally growing in shallow waters of 3 to 8 feet in depth and the oysters are har vested with scissor-like tongs. Ill Pamlico Sound which pro vide* over SO per cent of the total oyster production of North Caro lina, there are extensive public areas and the oysters are grow ing in waters from a few feet to over 20 feet in dejith. The oysters are harvested with oyster dredges which are towed by various sized boats. The cur rents in Pamlico Sound are weak and except in the Immediate vicin ity of the inlets, the tides are neg ligible and are governed primar ily by the winds. The need for accurate, unbiased information is essential in the de velopment of an industry based upon a natural resource. This is particularly true of the oyater in dustry in North Carolina where the diversified nature of the Oys ter producing areas requires sep arate investigations of each local ity. Information and current prac tices from other 'coastal areas are not always the best suited for our local needs. Through continued research and applications of the findings, many of the problems can be solved Fran Fish Me)Ccte? Prejudices retarded the tale of froten fish in the IBM's. It was difficult for salesmen to convince their customers that froien fish were as food as fish which were packed In ice. One large company In New England built Ita name and its success by aelling only, fresh fish. Their matte was, "At ways Freeh; Never Frown." Fall Fishery Starts Whea the wind flnt shift' around to the north la Ike early foil, that li the iltfial for thr beach haulers to dip their neU Into the aea. Here a crew hauls la ? aet at Bocae Ranks, off Morehcad (ity. After the fiah are tokea from the aet, they're loaded on trucks aad taken to Morehead Clly fish houses. Catches Drop; Dollar Valuo of Fish IncroaMs While the tola) number of pounds of fi.ih produced in the United SUlei and Alaska hat drop ped since 1942, the value to the fiaherman has more than doubled In 1941 there were 4.900.000*00 pounds of fish valued at S129.0M, 000 to the ruherman. In 1952 there were 4,418.442.000 pounds landed with a value of S300. 133,000. The average price rer pound in 1941 was 2 63 cents while the average price per pound in 1932 was 8.15 cents. Unique Industry The soft shelled crab industry in North Carolina was developed between 1890 and 1895 by fisher men and dealers in Carteret Ceun ty. They began shipping sott shelled crabs to the northern mar ket. This industry is still located almost entirely within the confines of Carteret County, the Core Sound section being the heaviest pruduc This is no " FISH STORY "! ? It's i fast-moving business opportunity that ?bound* in the teeming fishing water* of Coas tal Carolina. Carolinian*, quick to ipot *uch opportunity, have already started to reel in profit* from commercial fishing and its by products. But ? catching the fish is just the beginning * these days. The wide open profit potential is in the processing, f reeling, packaging and mar keting 4f the catch itself. This is true of fish as a food product and in its uses for medicinal and agricultural purposes. Here's why the opportunity is so great at this time. Carolina-caught fish and shellfish, worth millions of dollars, are still shipped out of the State every yeaf. There they are processed, packaged and shipped to retail market* ? In cluding Carolina Markets I What happens? You purchase, at higher rtUil prices, the sea food that came from your own coastal waters. So let's keep this booming, young industry here at home. It meant more job* ? more pay check* ? greater opportunities for all of us. Modern food-processing equipment and mar keting methods Kan flung wide the door to profits in this field. North Carolina's Dept. of Conservation and Development, and particular ly its Small Industries Section, are ready to help you develop and expand this new business po tential. They will counsel with you at no ob ligation. Naturally, any native, booming industry is of interest to as at CPJkL because our future is the future of the area we serve. Electric power needs increase in proportion to the progress of any area. We must plan and build to meet those needs. \ To this end, CPAL will have invested $206, 000,000 in its post-war expansion program through 1957. This, too, is no "fish story" . . . it is tangible evidence of our faith in the future of the Carolines and in Carolinians. Electricity ? Indispensable Ingredient of Progress CAROLINA POWtft & LIGHT COMPANY] ? ? ? ? ? ? I. i ? ? ? ? ? ?
Carteret County News-Times (Morehead City, N.C.)
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Oct. 11, 1955, edition 3
23
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