DATE: Sunday, August 3, 1997                TAG: 9708010330

SECTION: CAROLINA COAST          PAGE: 44   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY LANE DEGREGORY, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: NAGS HEAD                         LENGTH:   86 lines

PULL A SEINE THROUGH THE SOUND AND YOU WILL CATCH FISH, CRABS AND OTHER CRITTERS

Slithering through silt in the shallow sound, swimming around the reeds and grasses, thousands of tiny creatures live in the brackish water behind Jockey's Ridge State Park.

Most of these crabs, minnows and baby fish remain unseen by human eyes - hidden in their dark, watery worlds.

But by pulling a seine net along the shoreline - and listening to park rangers identify the unusual animals - would-be naturalists can glimpse some of the sea life and glean a better understanding of the Albemarle Sound's aquatic nursery system.

``We're working with very small, tender critters in the early stages of their lives. So you'll have to be very gentle with them. And always keep your hands wet when handling them so you don't wipe that mucous layer off and endanger them,'' Jockey's Ridge Ranger David McDaniel told about 20 children and teenagers who gathered behind the big sand dune.

``You don't have to be nervous about anything,'' McDaniel reassured the group. ``We're just out here to have fun and, hopefully, learn a lot.''

A free program sponsored by the state park, ``Seine the Sound'' is geared to audiences ages 8 to 14. It's held three times weekly in the water behind Jockey's Ridge. Pre-registration is strongly advised.

The one-hour offering begins with a quick overview of animals and plants people might find in the sound. Rangers encourage kids to take off their socks and shoes and wade into the salty water. Then they show them how to hold and maneuver the net - and help them catch whatever they can.

Two wooden stakes, each about eight feet tall, are tied to the ends of the nylon net. When it's stretched out, the mesh is about 10 feet across. Cork floats are attached across the top.

Kids carry the net into knee-deep water, three or four holding up each end. They walk out through emerald grass, about 12 paces into the sound. Then they turn around and quicken their pace, splashing toward shore, pulling the wooden poles as they go.

Rangers help the children tip the top of the net backwards - then show them how to cull out the creatures they've caught.

``Get that glass mixing bowl and fill it with sound water. Then bring it over here to the net,'' Assistant Ranger Shelly Breeswine said. ``And whoever is going to scoop up these fellows, remember to wet your hands.''

Trapped in the quarter-inch mesh are thousands of tiny fish, shellfish and other ocean dwellers who eventually grow too large for the shallow sound and swim out to sea.

Baby croaker have lateral lines running down their sides. ``That allows them to sense vibrations,'' Breeswine said. Infant shrimp have pop eyes revolving on the ends of two long stalks. ``We don't see them with batter on them when they're out here in the water,'' said McDaniel. And transparent cone jellyfish are too small to sting.

``Some of these fish, we don't even know what they are. But most we've seen before,'' McDaniel said. ``These string-like guys are called pipefish. Their heads look like seahorses. And shad are the ones with the silvery sides.''

Being very careful not to crush their catch, the kids scoop the fish from the net into the observation bowl. Some of the nickle-sized crabs, however, refuse to relinquish their holds as easily. McDaniel tries to pry them off the mesh - but they bite right back.

``I think we'll just let these guys hang on a while,'' the ranger said, trying to flick the tenacious crabs off his fingers while his adolescent audience squealed in delight. ``The rest of those fish, you can let swim free. Just pour the water out of the bowl, back into the sound.''

Three groups of children pulled the net across the sound - each one snagging different creatures. Then Breeswine brought out her bag of tricks and the group played a game, relating various items to the sound. The object, she said, was to show how the shallow nursery area filters water, helps fish reproduce and feed other sea creatures.

Laura Zimmer was on vacation from Crownsville, Md., and heard about the program. The 14-year-old nature enthusiast said seining the sound seemed like an interesting endeavor. So she signed up - and was glad she had.

``It's a lot better than just sitting on the beach all day. I loved getting to see all the fish we caught,'' she said. ``I've never seen a pipefish before.''

Alex Hodges, 7, of Plymouth, N.C., said his favorite part was when the blue crabs big McDaniel's fingers.

And 8-year-old Casey Sellarole said she liked the whole thing. ``It was like Christmas,'' she said, smiling. ``You never know what you'll find.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by WILLIAM P. CANNON

Danielle Jakob, 8, of Newton, Mass., examines the sea life that was

caught in the seine net during a free program sponsored by the

Jockey's Ridge State Park ``Seine the Sound,'' is geared for

audiences 8 to 14.

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