T XV. 



FISHERIES OF THE GULF OF MEXICO. 



A. GENERAL REVIEW OF THE FISHERIES OF THE GULF 



STATES. 



194. EXTENT OF THE FISHERIES. 



INTRODUCTORY REMARKS ON THE FISHERIES AND FISHERY RESOURCES OF THE GULF 

 COAST. Almost a third part of the eutire coast of the United States, excluding the Territory of 

 Alaska, borders on the Gulf of Mexico, the waters of which, under the benign influences of a tropical 

 sun, teem with an almost endless variety of animal life. Nowhere do the rich Southern fauna find 

 a more genial habitat, and in few localities could man levy upon the sea a heavier tribute of deli- 

 cious fish and mollusks to supply his table. But, strange as it may appear, the fisheries of these 

 1,550 nautical miles of coast line fall short in value of those of the single State of New York by 

 $450,000; and the States of Massachusetts, Oregon, and Maine have fisheries, respectively, five 

 times, four times, and thrice as great as those of the entire American coast of the Gulf. 



Among the Gulf bordering States, Florida holds the first rank, the people of its western 

 .shores taking marine products to the value of $420,527. To Western Florida the entire sponge 

 fishery of the United States is confined, and over $200,000 per anuuui accrue to her citizens from 

 this source alone. This State also excels all others in the extent and value of its mullet fisheries ) 

 while Louisiana holds the same pre-eminence with respect to the shrimp, of which species Texas 

 also obtains a goodly share. 



Returning again to the Gulf coast as a whole, it will be observed that the principal products 

 are oysters, sponges, groupers, mullet, shrimp, and red-snappers. These arc named in the order of 

 their monetary importance, the value of the oysters taken exceeding by over 35 per cent, that of 

 any other species obtained by the Gulf fishermen, although very insignificant when compared with 

 the production of the oyster industries of many of the Atlantic States. 



It is to be hoped that the inhabitants of these shores will soon awaken to a realization of the 

 store of wealth which beneficent nature brings to their very feet; if they do not, others will step in 

 before them and bear away the first-fruits, for these well-nigh limitless sources of material pros- 

 perity cannot much longer remain unnoticed. When there shall be a fuller knowledge of the 

 importance of these resources and better facilities of transportation have arisen, the fisheries of the 

 American side of the Gulf of Mexico will take an enormous stride and compete even with those of 

 enterprising New England. 



STATISTICAL RECAPITULATION. The following statements give the statistics of these fisheries 

 for the year 1880, and on the subsequent pages will be found a detailed account of their present 



condition : 



535 



