North Carolina State Library Raleigh N. c Doc/ chaVjge FISHERIES IN \ THE ALBE/VtARL£.ftR^ North Car«^ina Sfa(« LiWary Raleigh ■if?/- L Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2010 with funding from State Library of North Carolina http://www.archive.org/details/preparingforchanOOnofi THIS REPORT HAS BEEN PREPARED FOR THE TEN COUNTY ALBEMARLE AREA OF NORTH CAROLINA PARTICIPATING COUNTIES Camde n Ch owan Currituck Dare Gates Hyde Pas quotank Perquimans Tyrre 1 1 Wash ing t on ALBEMARLE AREA PLANNING COMMISSION Lawrence L. Swain, Chairman Ralph Hunter, Vice-Cha ir man W. W. Foreman, Secretary-Treasurer J. Everett Burgess John Mitchener Leroy Powers J. E. Gregory E. Roy Clark, Jr. Dr. T. P. Brinn W. J. White Dal Barber Mrs. David Ross Inglis Le on Ba 1 lance Alton Elmore W. H. Weatherly, III William A. Mil ler Jim Rea William H. Smith Charles Harrell Erie Haste, Jr. R. L. Hollowell David R. Dear THIS REPORT HAS BEEN PREPARED BY THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT DIVISION OF COMMUNITY PLANNING George J. Monaghan, Administrator COASTAL AREA OFFICE James R. Hinkley, Director PROJECT STAFF James G. Blake, III, Community Planner Douglas L. Wiggins, Chief Draftsman William L. Grissom, Draftsman Marian J. Alligood, Secretary February 1967 Price $1.00 TABLE OF CONTENTS FISHERIES IN THE ALBEMARLE AREA Sports Fishing Commercial Fishing The Catch in the Albemarle Area The Albemarle Sound Fishery Page Dare and Hyde County Fisheries 11 Problems and Opportunities in the Albemarle Area Fisheries 15 MAPS Map 1 Number of Licensed Commercial Fishing Boats in the Albemarle Area, 1964 Map 2 Total Fish Landings, Albemarle Area, 1964 TABLES Table 1 Total Fish and Shellfish Landings in the Albemarle Area, Carteret County, and North Carolina, 1962-64 Table 2 North Carolina Food Fish Catches, 1890-1964 4 10 Table 3 Licensed Commercial Fishing Boats Albemarle Area, 1965 11 FOREWORD The Ten County Albemarle Area contracted with the Division of Community Planning of the Department of Conservation and Development in November of 1964 for assistance in preparing a land development plan^ In the course of the planning effort, it was decided that the work could be facilitated by preparing a series of background studies which would provide information for the formulation of the land development plan. This study, Fisheries in the Albemar le Area , is the fourth in the series. Other background studies will focus on agriculture and recreatlono Already published are three studies: Prepar ing f or Change - The Popu 1 at 1 on of the Albemar le Ar ea , Ge ogr aphy in the Albemar le Area , and Fore s try in the A Ibemar le Ar ea o The studies are very important elements in the planning process for they provide the data and analyses upon which the plan shall be basede These studies, along with the planning goals and objectives formulated by the planning commission, will largely determine the framework and content of the plan« The final report will be the general development plan which will contain a summation of the findings and recommendations of the background studies, an overview of area community facilities, and a presentation of the land devel- opment plan and the thoroughfare plan» Members of the Albemarle Area Planning Commission, which is made up of the Executive Committee of the Albemarle Area Development Association and one appointee from each county, have devoted a great amount of time and energy toward making this planning program a success^ The boards of county commissioners in the various counties have appropriated the money which has made the program possible and have contributed their interest and encouragement to it. FISHERIES IN THg- ALBEMARLE AREA Sports Fishing The Coast of North Carolina has been said to have a seafood resource that has been virtually untapped. There are some 360 species of fish found in the coastal waters of North Carolina, 58 of which are caught in commercial quantities. Sports fishermen annually catch a great variety of fish from the ample supply availab le . There are few statistics on sport fishing, but this pas- time activity is considered to be one of North Carolina's major assets and appears to play a major role in the economy of the Albemarle region. A national survey taken in 1960 indicates that the number of anglers increased at a faster rate, between 1955 and 1960, than did the entire population of the nation. The fastest growing group among the sports fishermen were the salt water anglers. It is assumed that this trend is continuing and that it is having a definite effect upon the region. However, it is also assumed that the full potential of the region's sport fishing has yet to be realized. A report by the University of North Carolina Institute of Fisheries Research, published in 1965, reveals that there were 62,000 salt water anglers who cast their hooks an average of 14 days per year and spend approximately 27 million dollars doing so in North Carolina in 1962. Pointed out in the study was the interesting fact that approximately 16 percent of these were pier fishermen, and that they spent approximately 30 percent of the total outlay of salt water sport fishermen. Charter boat fishermen represented 47 percent of the total number of salt-sport fishermen, but contributed only 19 percent of the total expenditure. Pier and charter boat fishing require large original capital investments and considerable sums for operation. Only 63 percent of the salt water sport fishermen utilize piers and boats, account- ing for only 49 percent of the total expenditure of salt -sport f ishe rmen » On the other hand, surf fishing does not require the generally high expense on the part of the fisherman. At the present time, it is assumed that most surf fishermen's expenditures are made outside the Albemarle Area, since there are few places where they can buy supplies, equipment, and bait. The businessmen of Currituck and Dare Counties need to orient themselves towards serving this type of pastime activity and to advertising the best fishing seasons and places. Commercial Fishing Commercial fishing is a large industry for the Albemarle Area and the eastern part of North Carolina! It has been estimated by the University of North Carolina Institute of Fisheries Research that there are approximately 7,600 commercial boats in Eastern North Carolina, valued at approximately 30 million dollars. The operation of these boats adds approximately 16 million dollars annually to the economy of North Carolina, The processing plants for seafood are valued at approximately 14 million dollars, and they add approximately the same amount annually to the economy of North Carolina through purchases of goods and services needed in their operation. The total seafood industry, or commercial fishing industry in North Carolina, accounts for approximately a 50 million dollar capital investment and a 30 million dollar annual operating expenditure. Statistics for the Albemarle Area are not available, however, it is assumed that the fishing industry is centered in Carteret County, since approximately 59 percent of the total "landings" of the state take place in Carteret. (See Table 1) Approximately 30 percent of the landings take place beyond Carteret County to che south, and the remaining 11 percent take place in the Albemarle Area^ 2 Table 1 Illustrates the poundage of fish landed in the various counties of the Albemarle Area, Carteret County, and the state for the years 1962 and 1964. The total poundage of the Albemarle Area's catch increased 17,5 percent from 1962 to 1964. However, the number of fin-fish decreased 18 percent, and the number of shellfish increased 100 percent. The increase in shellfish is primarily due to an excellent year of crab catches. In 1964, North Carolina ranked third in the nation in the production of hard shell crabs. Virginia was first, with only 1 million pounds more catch than North Carolina, and Maryland was second. w vt- hJ >£> oi 1 <: CM s vO w ON PQ r— 1 hJ <: » o H <; u en O K M Pi Q O <: W H K ttJ w o CO «k •K * •t w «v vD CN I— 1 CM lO CO CM CM 1^ o <^ lO ^_^ r-~ n r~. o ^ o 00 Cvl 1 lO vO 1 r-l u-| 00 1 ak •k t «« M 9^ (3\ - r- CTv CM 00 vO CM ^ r-~ r^ CO 1 1 CJ\ o 1 O CO CO 1 1 o u-l 1 1 •» •k 1 «« «« A n 00 CM CM m > (« .-H « O u O Q X (U H :3 < o z The Catch In the Albemarle Area The Albemarle Area accounted for approximately one-third of the state's crabs, since Dare and Hyde Counties' crab landings in 1964 amounted to approximately 11 million pounds. Generally, the Albemarle Area's fish catch for 1964 was as follows: (a) Pasquotank County had a total seafood landing at Elizabeth City of approximately 437,000 lbs, of fish. Approximately 148,000 lbs. consisted of catfish and bullheads, and approximately 202,000 lbs. consisted of striped bass. The remainder of the total landings consisted of other miscellaneous food fish, (b) Chowan County had a total seafood landing at Edenton of approximately 6,000,000 lbs., with 5,000,000 lbs. of the total consisting of herring. During the last two years Chowan County has also been producing commercial snapping turtles, and approximately 8,000 lbs. have been shipped out of the county to the Philadelphia market. (c) Washington County's total landings at Mackeys and Plymouth, consisted almost entirely of herring and catfish amount- ing to approximately 534,000 lbs. Washington County also shipped approximately 5,000 lbs. of snapping turtles to Philadelphia. (d) Tyrrell County had a total landing at Columbia of approx- imately 283,000 lbs. consisting of 113,000 lbs. of striped bass, 92,000 lbs, of catfish, 3,000 lbs, of | snapping turtles, and the remainder consisting of other food fish. (e) Dare County's total landing of 12,696,000 Ibso consisted of 9,400,000 lbs. of crabs, 803,000 lbs. of flounder, | 440,000 Ibso of swordfish, 211,000 Ibso of shad, 303,000 lbs. of spot, 226,000 lbs. of herring, and the remainder consisted of miscellaneous food fish. The landings at ! Wanchese accounted for most of Dare County's totalo (f) Hyde County's total landing of 1,653,000 lbs, consisted ^ almost entirely of crabs and other shellfish. In 1962, TEN COUNTY ALBEMARLE AREA IUXTON-24 I SCO MAP I LICENSED COMMERCIAL FISHING BOATS 1964 NUMBER OF BOATS ^I^H UNDER 50 ^^^Q 5I-IOO f"^' I I0I-200 I I OVER 200 Hyde County experienced a landing of 129,000 lbs. of food fish, but in 1964 the county's landing was only 7,000 lbs. Engelhard accounted for most of Hyde County's total land ings . (g) Currituck County's landings at Coinjock consisted entirely of food fish and amounted to approximately 303,000 lbs. For the Albemarle Area as a whole, one may draw these con- clusions based upon the 1964 statistics: Chowan County had the largest landing of herring and catfish, and leads the area in fresh water fish pro- duction. Dare was the largest producer of food fish and shellfish, and as such may be considered the most important county in the Albemarle Area in the fisheries industry. The above statistics indicate the amount of seafood landed in each county. What is not revealed is where the catch is made. Therefore, it is not possible to determine the amount of seafood taken from the Chowan River, the Albemarle Sound, the Pamlico Sound, or the Atlantic Ocean. The statistics also do not reveal where the fishermen live or where they dock their boats. Map 1 illustrates the addresses of fishermen when they obtained their commercial fishing license. Currituck, Gates, Camden, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Chowan, Washington, and Tyrrell Counties are shown with a listing of 648 boats. Approximately 99 of them were found to be over twenty feet in length and of these, 12 were over 30 feet in length. Thus, 85 percent of the commercial fishing boats licensed within these eight counties are smaller than 20 feet in length. It is assumed that these are used for fishing within the Albemarle Sound area for herring, shad, catfish, striped bass and other miscellaneous food fish. There are eight locations where these fish are landed. At these locations there are approximately 17 seafood dealers. (See Map 2) Edenton in Chowan County is the major fish landing COUNTY AREA FINFISH SHELLFISH point in the area as measured by poundageD It, along with Colerain, which lies just outside the area in Bertie County, is the center of North Carolina's herring industry. These two communities annually produce about 20 percent of the nation's total herringo This production is not as significant to the economy of the state as it might appear, since the state's total herring catch represents only about $80,000 per year income to the fishermen and is only approximately one percent of the total income derived from the state's fisheries* However, it is significant to the Albemarle Area since it provides part-time employment for several hundred persons and full-time employment for approximately 60 to 100 persons. The Towns of Plymouth and Mackeys also have a considerable amount of herring landed, but their landings also consist of approximately 50 percent catfish and bullheads. These two towns have three dealers which handle the fish generally for a local mar ke t . Columbia, in Tyrrell County, also has a sizable landing of catfish and other miscellaneous food flsho Food fish in this report Include such fish as shad, mullet, striped bass, flounder, white and yellow perch, etCo Columbia, in Tyrrell County, has 58 boats registered which is almost as many as all of Washington County o Elizabeth City, in Pasquotank County, and Colnjock in Currituck County were the only major seafood landing points north of the Albemarle Sound and east of Edenton in 1964, Elizabeth City's landings consisted of catfish and striped bass, and Coinjock's landings were almost evenly distributed among carp, catfish, striped bass, white and yellow perch. The Albemarle Sound Fishery The eight northern counties of the Albemarle Area have their fishing industry based almost entirely upon catches taken from the Albemarle Sounds This portion of the Albemarle's total fishing industry accounts for 35 percent of the poundage of fish landed in the area. Many of the local fishermen have expressed the belief that the sound fishing industry is declining and that such things as water pollution, storms, and the increase of silt from the rivers has had an adverse effect upon the industry. This may be true in specific sections of the region or during certain years. The fishing industry, worldwide, has been plagued with lean years and fat years as well as changes in the location of catches. Therefore, the Albemarle Area cannot expect to be any different. However, if all these changes are averaged and the statistics are shown over a long period of time, the fishing industry appears to be increasing in the total poundage of its catch. The following table shows the food fish catch of North Carolina for specific years from 1890 to 1964, These figures include all shellfish but exclude the menhaden catch. Menhaden are used for agricultural and industrial purposes, and are not caught in very large quantities by fishermen of the Albemarle Area . TABLE 2, NORTH CAROLINA FOOD FISH CATCHES - 1890-1964 (Millions of Pounds) 1890 1902 1908 1918 1930 1940 1950 1964 35.34 40,00 35.00 25o6 34,00 36,30 47,90 54,39 Thus, it may be assumed that the Albemarle Area's catch has changed in accordance with the state as a whole and we can assume that its total food fish catch has actually increased over the past 46 years. The Albemarle Sound fishing industry has not only increased in recent years but its methods of catching the fish have undergone some changes. For the first time in many years, there were no purse seines used for striped bass, since gill nets and pound nets have become the common method of hauling in the catches. The 10 reasons for the change were the lower cost of equipment and re- duced need for manpower per unit volume of fish caught. The Dare and Hyde County Fisheries Dare and Hyde Counties account for 65 percent of the total landings of fish in the Albemarle Region (14.4 million pounds), and they harbor 56 percent of the total number of fishing boats in the Albemarle region. These two counties have a larger number of boats over 30 feet in length which are capable of fishing in the outer sound areas and the Atlantic Ocean. (See the following table ) . TABLE 3. LICENSED COMMERCIAL FISHING BOATS ALBEMARLE AREA - 1964 Length and Number Below 20' 20-29' 30-39' 40-49' Above 50' Total Boats Dare 238 242 55 16 10 Hyde 148 53 55 5 5 561 266 Eighty-two percent of the boats in the two counties are shorter than 30 feet, and it is assumed that they are fishing exclusively in the sound areas. They fish mostly for shrimp, crabs, clams, scallops and food fish. Hyde County is almost entirely a shellfish county. In 1964 it had a landing of approximately 7,665 lbs. of miscellaneous food fish, and a landing of approximately 1.7 million pounds of shell- fish. Hard shell blue crabs amounted to approximately 1.3 million pounds of the shellfish; the remainder was divided between shrimp and oysters. The shrimping operation provides the small poundage of food fish landed in Hyde County since they are a by-product of the shrimping catch. Most of Hyde's shrimping catch is landed at Engelhard and New Holland; a small amount is landed at Ocracoke and Swan Quarter. II Oysterlng In Hyde County is centered at Engelhard and Swan Quarter, but small catches are also landed at Mtddleton, Ocracoke and Scranton, The largest amount of oysters is processed at Swan Quarter where there is a sizable oyster shucking and packing plant which distributes oysters throughout North Carolina and some other s ta te s o If the downward trend of oyster production in Hyde County could be reversed, this industry could become an important economic asset. The shoreline is almost entirely salt marsh, which is an excellent growing environment for the "single" oyster. The single oysters are of a much finer quality than the "coon" or cluster oysters produced in the southern part of the states However, single oysters require one or two years longer for matu- rlty« Production in the Pamlico Sound area increased 100 percent from 1963 to 1964o This at least indicates that the downward trend has ceased and that oyster production is capable of increas- ing,. The State of North Carolina has a very extensive oyster re- habilitation program for the purpose of improving oyster production within the Stateo This program normally Involves three types of planting operations: (1) shells available at local shucking houses are planted in locations where optimum growing conditions are expected to occurj (2) "seed oysters" are removed from over- crowded beds and transferred to new beds; (3) oysters classified as unsafe for human consumption because of water contamination are relayed to clean water areas from which they may be safely harvested at a la ter da te ^ Perhaps the most Important planting operation is that of planting shells In choice locations in order that new beds may be started and so that older beds may be rehabilitated o This operation has been relatively slow compared to the efforts of other states, and not extensive as it should be. The main reason for the slow rate of progress has been the lack of an adequate supply of shells^ 12 Several studies have been made to locate and evaluate the extent of shell deposits that would be suitable for establishing bedso A few adequate deposits were found but the cost of dredging these shells proved to be prohibitiveo At the present time the state is exploring the possibility of using shell materials supplied by various commercial sourcese It has been determined that the State of North Carolina has several hundred thousand acres of suitable oyster growing bottoms. However, nearly all of these areas will require plantings of 500 to 1,000 bushels of shells per acre to approach a satisfactory rate of oyster production^ Between 1947 and 1954, an average of 93,382 bushels of shells and 7,562 bushels of oysters were planted per year^ The plantings proved their worth and the program received increased emphasis. During the next decade (1954 - 1964) shell planting averaged 101,721 bushels and oyster plantings averaged 173,644 bushels per year. In comparison, the State of Maryland has planted some six million bushels of shells annually since 1961s Plantings of the past decade represent a significant increase but, even so, are far short of what they could be. It is hoped that the availability of the shells from commercial sources will enable extensive expansion of the planting operation at a resonable price. Within the Albemarle region, Hyde and Dare Counties will probably receive the greatest benefit from these shells. Hyde County also has a considerable amount of crabs landed in Engelhard but these amount to only approximately one-eighth as many crabs as are harvested In Dare County,, Dare County is truly the commercial fishing county of the Albemarle region. It contains the greatest number of boats and accounts for 58 percent of the region's total fish landings. Dare County's landings consisted of 75 percent shellfish and 25 percent food fish in 1964. Its food fish catch was distributed among 14 13 major species. Flounder and swordfish were the largest catches. Dare's shellfish catch consisted almost entirely of hard blue crabs and some shrimp. The state's shrimp catch has tended to fluctuate greatly over the years. For instance, in 1940, 4.1 million pounds of shrimp were landed in North Carolina. By contrast in 1945 there were 10.6 million pounds landed. In 1959 and 1960, 6.4 million pounds and 6.0 million pounds were caught respectively. By 1964, there was a landing of only 4.3 million pounds. Thus, the shrimp catch has risen from 4.1 million pounds in 1940 to 10.6 million pounds in 1945. Conversely, the catch decreased to 4.3 million pounds by 1964. No one knows for certain, of course, but there is a possibility that the catch will Increase in the coming years. Crabs are Dare's largest seafood catch. In 1964, the State became the third largest producer of hard shell blue crabs pro- ducing a catch of approximately 24 million pounds. Dare County's catch was approximately 9.4 million pounds or 39 percent of the State's total catch. Most of these crabs are shipped out of the county for processing facilities since there are only two crab packing plants in Dare County. The Pamlico and Carteret County area ranks second in crab production to Dare. Pamlico County contains most of the processing facilities. There is not enough information available to determine why Dare County has so few crab processing plants with such a large catch. Possibly at one time, Pamlico County was the largest producer of crabs. It is unlikely that Dare County will have any new plants established in the near future because crab processing at the present time is a marginal operation. Most of the work is done completely by hand, and the cost of labor has been increasing. At the present time, the American Scientific Corporation in Alexandria, Virginia, is investigating the possibilities of producing special machinery which will lower the cost of hand operations now used to process crabso This corporation has four machines that are being used experimentally. As yet, these machines have not profected to the point where they can be marketed. Other promising machines are being developed by the Blue Channel Corporation in Port Royal, 14 South Carolina and by the Bay Packing Company at Oriental, North Carol Ina o Dare County has become the headquarters of a large commercial fishing operation for swordfish. The sudden growth of this operation may prove to be very Influential In the expansion of the fishing Industry, This activity is centered in Wanchese and Orientals These fish are caught in the Gulf Stream near the North Carolina coast. This activity began in 1963 with a catch of 1,228 pounds of swordfish using the longline method. This method requires the use of a one-quarter inch nylon rope up to 90,000 feet long with approximately 1,500 hooks attached. The line is set at approximately 40 to 200 feet deep and left over- night. It is then reeled in during the next day. The hooked fish are brought along side the boat for gaffing. Problems and Opportunities in the Albemarle Area Fisheries In 1964, approximately 40 vessels fished off the coast of North Carolina, eight of which were North Carolina boats. The total catch landed at Wanchese by these eight boats was 400,000 pounds valued at some $160,000o The remainder of the boats were from Canada, Maine, Massachusetts, and New Jersey, The boats from Canada were unable to land their catch in the United States, but all the other boats could have landed at Wanchese. Many did not choose to do so because the channel depths through Oregon Inlet are unstable and in many cases too shallowo These fish are weighed at Wanchese and Oriental, loaded on trucks, iced and shipped to northern markets for processing. Some are sold in Virginia and redistributed from there. Swordfish flesh is unsurpassed in texture and quality; it commands the highest of prices. Distribution is almost solely through more expensive restaurants in large cities. When avail- able in retail stores, the price closely parallels that of choice beef steaks. Because of this excellent price available to the fisherman, swordfish could become one of the most important fish in North Carolina, However, there is one problem which makes it 15 difficult to expand the operation at Wancheseo Oregon Inlet is too shallow and too unstable for the safety of the large vessels required for efficient swordf ish ing , On March 12, 1965, the Dare County Board of Commissioners held a public hearing on improvement plans to Manteo (Shallowbag Bay), Oregon Inlet and a channel to Wanchese in order to aid U. S. Army Corps or Engineers in studying the situation and in preparing their reports^ The people of the region were asked by the Corps of Engineers to submit factual information on the type, number, origin, destination and the light and loaded drafts of present and prospective vessels expected to use the improvements proposed. This information was prepared and submitted as a basis for the proposed project. The existing project was completed by the Corps of Engineers in 1963» It provided a channel 400 feet wide and 14 feet deep from the Atlantic Ocean over the bar and through Oregon Inlet. This channel then narrows to 100 feet by 12 feet and junctions with three smaller channels, each 100 feet wide and 12 feet deep. One ran from the inlet channel to the Pamlico Sound via Old House Channel. The second provided a branch to wharves in Mill Creek near Wanchese, and the third connected the Inlet with Manteo. A turning basin 12 feet deep and 200 feet wide by 600 feet long was provided at Manteoo At Wanchese, a turning basin 12 feet deep and measuring 180 by 615 feet was cons true ted » In addition, a channel 6 feet deep and 100 feet wide was extended from Manteo into the Albemarle Sounds It was found during the next 18 months that proper maintenance of these channels was a crucial factor since they proved to be very unstable^ It was recommended that the depth be increased to 21 feet at Oregon Inlet and that protective devices become an integral part of the installation. It was found that the inner channels had sharp turns which were difficult for ocean-going vessels to negotiate, and that the six foot draft of the channel from Shallowbag Bay at Manteo to Albemarle Sound was too shallow to accommodate existing needs and that it should be increased to 12 feet deep« 16 Norrti Carolina S^« Lrferary Raleigh One of the most important aspects of this hearing was the realization that the coast of Northeastern North Carolina offered an unusual variety and abundance of fish and that the fishermen of this state are restricted in their access to this important natural resource. Today, many ocean-going vessels from northern parts of the nation, Canada and even Russia are fishing off the coast taking fish which should logically be landed and processed in North Carolina. Upon the completion of the 1963 project, the fishermen of the region constructed a fleet of approximately 14 boats, specifically designed to use Oregon Inlet, at a capital investment approaching three-quarters of a million dollars. It is found today that even these vessels find it risky to utilize the inlet. The charter or party boat fishing fleet was also Increased by some 60 vessels, all based at the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center, Manteo, and Wanchese and valued at approximately one million dollars. Thus, ocean fishing is important to the economy of Dare County, but there is no safe and dependable means to get to the fishing grounds. The County has almost no farming activity, and sound fishing has declined in recent years. The activities of Manteo and Wanchese have increased greatly since the completion of the original Oregon Inlet project, and their possible significance has been realized. When Oregon Inlet Channel is enlarged and stabilized, it is possible that Dare County will rival Carteret County as the center of commercial fishing in the State. During the summer of 1965, an extensive area of scallop beds, approximately 20 by 50 miles in size, was discovered. In 1965, North Carolina had only three vessels capable of dredging for scallops, but these boats found that they must put into port in Virginia because their draft was too deep for Oregon Inlet. It has been estimated that if scallopers could bring their catch to North Carolina that the fleet could be expanded considerably. 17 The commercial fishing industry of the Albemarle Area is plagued with problems of all kinds. The annual catch decreases and increases because of weather, pollution, dredging and economic restrictions from a lack of capital. The types of fish caught varies each year making it necessary for fishermen to be equipped to fish for several different types of seafoods Landing points are dispersed throughout the area making it difficult to establish processing of fishery products. The off-shore fishery is hampered by the instability of Oregon Inlet, and sound fishing has been declining in recent years. In spite of these problems, the number of fishermen has remained about the same and the total value of the catch has increased slightly. The herring catch is the most important one in the Albemarle Sound, followed by miscellaneous food fish. The herring Industry processes large volumes of fish but the total value of its product has been decreasing in recent years. With a rise in incomes and the availability of a wide range of meats there has been a decline in consumer demand for salt herring. One dealer has been success- ful in selling herring for bait, and another is packaging herring in sealed plastic bags for sale to the housewife. The total catch of herring has been fluctuating. From 1961 to 1965, total poundage has averaged about 12 million pounds, ranging from a low of 7 million pounds to a high of 15 million. The local fishermen feel that this pattern of fluction is a result of pollution. It is recommended that an extensive study be made of this to determine the cause of the variations. The Albemarle Sound area is said to have a plentiful supply of ''little-neck clams", but at present the only processing plant is located at Williston in Carteret County. The distance from the source of supply to the processing plant may make the clams of Albemarle Sound a marginal catcho If this were the case, clams would not contribute much to the economy of the area. Only the success of the processing plant and the demand for these clams can determine the future of the Albemarle Sound clams, 18 Catfish comprise a large percentage of the total catch in the Albemarle Sound and may become more important as packaging and marketing practices improve. Presently, many of these fish, as well as a large proportion of the remainder of the food fish catch of the Albemarle Sound, are marketed in Eastern North Carolina. The rest of the food fish catch is shipped to northern markets. At the present time, there is not enough statistical data to accurately analyze the fishing industry and to adequately determine feasible solutions to their problems. Thus, it is recommended that detailed study be undertaken. This study would consist of a through analysis of the resource, the catch, and where it goes from the time it is caught to the time it is consumed. It would also investigate merchandising practices and possible new methods of attracting the consumer. The Pamlico Sound contains 65 percent of the region's total fishing activity and is considerably more diversified than the Albemarle Sound. The Pamlico Sound is predominantly a shell fishing area with its catch consisting of crabs, shrimp, and oysters in decendlng order of importance. Hyde County is pre- dominantly the oyster and shrimp county, and Dare County is pre- dominantly a crab county. Oysters seem to be increasing, but shrimp are decreasing. Crabs, however, are definitely increasing in volume. There are several crab processing plants, but these are finding it difficult to stay in business because of the fluctuating price of crab meat and because of increasing labor costs. Mer chaniza tion seems to be the main answer to the crab industry, but perhaps new methods of marketing the meat may prove profitable. At present, crab meat is sold in large containers of a pound or more. Generally, this quantity and its accompanying price is too much meat and too high priced for the housewife. Here again is the need for a thorough study of marketing and packaging methods. 1 9 North Carolina StaJa Library RalpinK Dare County has two very Important prospects for Increasing Its fishing industry: scallops and swordfisho Both of these depend upon the development of Oregon Inlet before expansion can take placBo The new scallop find may prove to be of major importance to North Carolina if scallop boats can be docked in Dare County » The ports at Wanchese and Manteo could be enlarged and become of major importance to the off-shore fishing industry of the eastern part of the nation. It is therefore recommended that all possible effort and emphasis be placed upon the improvement and stabilization of Oregon Inlet as it appears to be the key to commercial fishing in the Albemarle Area and perhaps the state as a whole. 20 'state library of north CAROLINA 3 3091 00747 6062