The Catfish Fishery of Virginia

Abstract

Abstract The catfish fishery of Virginia is conducted mainly on the James River and its tributaries, and on the Potomac River. The approximate average sizes of catfish taken in the commercial catches are: Channel catfish, slightly over 1 pound; white catfish, about 1 pound; and bullheads, almost one-half pound. On the basis of catch records of individual fishermen of the James River, it is concluded that the amount of fishing effort has more than doubled since 1929. Although there has been a marked increase in the amount of gear used, the volume of catch has not increased proportionately. A decrease in the average size of fish in the commercial catch seems to have occurred. A comparison of the amount of fishing, volume of catch, and size of fish indicates that the commercial catch in the James River is probably greater than the river can continue to support without a significant decline in the size and abundance of fish. Three remedial measures are considered to be desirable and practical: First, the taki...