Working the Water
People working on the water specialize in catching fish, crabs, oysters, clams, and marine animals that are abundant in the Delmarva region. Fish were caught using a variety of methods, including haul seines, stake gill nets, and pound netting. Multiple tools have been used over the years to harvest shellfish around the Delmarva peninsula. Tongs, dredges, traps, floats, and more were used to catch oysters, crabs, etc. For as long as seafood has been abundant in the Bay, people – including local Native American tribes and early settlers – have used these methods and more to make a living.
The oyster tongs pictured below would have been used in small-boat oystering, gathering only a few bushels for family use, not commercial use. The crab pot features a center section for bait and openings on the sides for crabs to enter. The crabs are drawn in by the bait and then trapped inside. The watermen then hoist the crab pots to the surface to retrieve their catch. This particular crab pot has been redesigned to trap turtles.
