^ BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COxMMISSION. 137 



MULLET FISHINa IN MONKOE COUNTY, FLOEIDA, AT PUNTA KASSA, AND 



SANIBEL ISLAND. 



Puuta Kassa is the southern extremity of Charlotte Harbor. There 

 is a mullet fishery here, aud one ou the island opposite, Sanibel Island. 

 The gangs, called fishing ranches, consist of 13 men each, mostly Span- 

 iards, with two boats for each company. Nets are used. The time of 

 catching is about the same as at other points in Charlotte Harbor, 

 though the fish are plentiful rather later, and remain somewhat longer. 

 This business was commenced in this portion of Florida in 1873 by 

 some New England fishermen, but the Spanish fishermen have taken 

 their place. At present the postmaster, Mr. G. E. Shultz, believes fish 

 have diminished in quantity, although there does not seem to be any 

 certainty about this. The fish are prepared as at other points in Char- 

 lotte Harbor, rough-salted, and shipped to Cuba. The business seems 

 to have been unprofitable for this season, not because fish were scarce, 

 but on .account of low prices. One of the gangs will return here about 

 the 15th of February for what they call deep fish, such as sheepshead, 

 redfish {Liostomus lyhiladelphicus), drum, and snook; this is the crevalle 

 {Carangus hippos). These fish are rough-salted and sent to Cuba. 

 Outfits come from Key West. 



Punt A Rassa, February 1, 1884:. 



MULLET FISHERIES AT CLEAR WATER, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, 



FLORIDA. 



This fishery is a fairly important one, being the nearest to Cedar Keys, 

 the catch being forwarded to Georgia, South Carolina, and distributed 

 in the surrounding country. In 1883-84 there were five gangs com- 

 posed of some 4G men. They used for the most part seines, and occa- 

 sionally gill-nets. They begin fishing about the last of September, and 

 their work ends on the 1st of February. The gangs are entirely com- 

 posed of natives. They employ some eight small A^essels of from 10 to 

 28 tons, which carry their catch to Cedar Keys. The fish are kept on 

 ice during transportation. The 10-ton smacks will carry some 12,000 

 mullet, and the smack of 28 tons 50,000 fish. The men work on shares. 

 The outfit comes from Cedar Keys. The business has been carried on 

 with good success for about four years. At Cedar Keys the fish bring 

 2^ cents each, the average weight being 1^ pounds. Some small busi- 

 ness is done in smoking the mullet at Point Pinales. There has been 

 no diminution in the catch for the last five jears. With an idea of 

 finding out how much oil these fish would produce, I was informed that 

 15 mullet would give about one quart of oil. The method of bringing 

 the fish on ice to Cedar Keys seemed to be a very careless one, proper 

 precaution not being taken to preserve tlie ice. At Cedar Keys there is 

 an ice-house, the ice coming from Maine. 



Cedar Keys, February 17, 1884. 



