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Tidewater Fisheries 1900
(For more Norfolk geography tidbits, click here.)
“The Tidewater Fisheries,” 20th Century Edition, January 1, 1900, Virginian-Pilot:
"…These [the commercial fisheries of the Tidewater section] have for years been of great importance, as the ocean each year sends in its finny wealth in an unfailing supply, and the varieties vary according to the season.
The fish run mainly in nine months. In March, April, May, and June the prevailing fish  are shad, croaker, trout, and grey trout. In July, and August the schools of Spanish mackerel, blue fish and spots are abundant and in prime condition. In September, October and November the fish that are abundant are salmon trout, grey trout and spots.
The local fisheries are mainly at Virginia Beach, Ocean View and in the James River. There are six fisheries (deep sea) at Virginia Beach. These employ about 100 to 120 men and about 15 boats.
Ocean View has about ten fisheries employing about 200 men and 30 boats. The Ocean View fish are mainly sold in Norfolk for local consumption.
The James River has hundreds of small fisheries on either shore, and this noted stream has a great wealth of fish, oysters and crabs. Buckroe Beach is the site of many fisheries that make a large annual catch. And these and other fisheries contribute heavily to swell Norfolk’s annual volume of trade and Norfolk packers ship them to all the important points east of the Mississippi River.
The waters of the Norfolk section produce not only the species of fish above noted, but to a more limited extent pompano, sheepshead, black bass, white and sun perched; southern white and horned chub, mullet, carp, pike, suckers, flat-back gar, mason, white-sides and eels. Eels are caught in abundance from the Norfolk wharves, by small boys, but they are not much esteemed locally on account of the abundance of other more prized food fish."
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