540 GEOGRAPHICAL REVIEW OF THE FISHERIES. 



197. THE FISHERIES OF MONROE, MANITEE, AND HILLSBORO' COUNTIES. 



TOPOGRAPHY OF THE REGION. The extreme southwestern coast of Florida is au almost 

 uninhabited section, seldom visited and but little explored. Viewed from the sea the coast 

 appears high and the coast-line seems to be without a break, but upon closer examination the 

 coast-line proves to be cut up iuto countless numbers of small, low. mangrove-covered islands. 

 In most places the country is broken up into this form by shoal lagoons for a distance of 5, 10, 

 and even 20 miles inland. The seaward sides of these islands generally have narrow beaches of 

 white sand, overgrown with sedge, according to the degree of their exposure to the waves. The 

 Gulf waters touching this coast are extremely shoal, being only 10 or liJ feet deep at about an 

 equal number of miles from the land. The soil is generally good, the climate almost unexcelled, 

 and fish and game abound, but settlers find the constant presence of tormenting insects and the 

 extreme seclusion unbearable. Higher up the coast the waters of the Gulf become deeper, the 

 islands larger and higher, and are formed of sand which is blown iuto exposed places, where it forms 

 into dunes. The upper portions of the bays along the coast preserve the shallowuess of the water 

 and the small size of the islands noticed above as occurring off the coast of Monroe County. In 

 these shoal waters are found, as will be seen in the history of the fisheries, immense schools of mullet, 

 the shoal water affording almost inexhaustible feeding grounds which are exceptionally free from 

 predaceous fishes. Between Charlotte Harbor and Sarasota Bay the coast is bold, with a broad 

 sand beach, and is covered with a thick growth of tall pines. At Palmasola and Sarasota Bays 

 the shores are higher and drier than at any point farther south, and are heavily wooded with 

 palmettos and mangroves on the islands and with pines on the mainland. The outer sides of the 

 islands are sandy and hilly. Outside of the channel the waters are rather shoal. The Little and 

 Big Sarasota Bays are connected with each other, and, by means of Palmasola Bay, also join 

 Tampa Bay. On the shores of these bays many fruit-growers from the West and North have 

 settled. 



FISHERIES OF CHARLOTTE HARBOR. 



FISHING STATIONS OF CHARLOTTE HARBOR. In Monroe County there are no fishing stations 

 worthy of notice. The first four on the coast and on the islands off Manitee County are: Captiva, 

 on Captiva Island; two at the north end of Lacosta Island, near Boca Grande, carried on by Span- 

 iards, and one at the northern end of Gasparilla Island. These fisheries are all carried on in Char- 

 lotte Harbor. They are engaged in supplying the Cuban market, and the methods of fishing, style of 

 buildings, mode of curing the fish, &c., are much the same as at the Sarasota Bay fisheries, 

 concerning which all details will be given, and from which a correct idea may be easily formed 

 of the arrangements and methods followed out at the Charlotte Harbor fisheries, when no differ- 

 ences are specially noted. 



The profits of the fishing at these four stations have been diminished both by the political 

 troubles in Cuba and by the glutting of the Cuban markets. The stations are all occupied every 

 year, but seldom by the same parties. The Gasparilla fishery is an exception; this one is carried 

 on by Beacon Brothers, and managed by Captain Beacon. The money made by the fishermen is 

 less than in formef years, when both fish and roes were worth more ; yet, even with the present prices 

 the men do well, if the business is properly managed. The trade with Cuba is now more extensive 

 than formerly, more parties being interested in the work. It was reported that Spaniards 

 had come from Cuba and fished in the bays under the Spanish flag. This was false. Sometimes, 

 however, Cuban smacks fished off the coast, but were quickly prohibited by the revenue officers. 



