BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 289 



Vol. IT, ]\o. 19. Wa^ihmglon, ©. C. Aisg^. IS, 1884. 



150.— Oi\ THE POSITIOi'V AND CMARACTER OF TME FISHINO 

 CiROUIVJDS OF THE «UJLF OF MEXXCO. 



By SILAS STEARNS. 

 [From letters to Prof. S. F. Baird.] 



I can furnish but a general idea of the position of the Gulf flshing- 

 gronnds. We have our courses and exact spots to go to, but I do not 

 think that in so general a search as the Albatross proposes to make 

 they would be of much use. 



Our experience has been that wherever there is rocky bottom there 

 is good fishing. So far we have fouud none below 40 fathoms, when 

 the rocks end and the muddy bottom begins. Our present fishing- 

 grounds extend along the edge of deep water, i. e., 40 fathoms from a 

 point southwest from Pensacola light to the neighborhood of south from 

 Cape Saint George. Inside of this belt are numerous small gullies con- 

 taining coral, but they are nearly fished out and are rather hard to find. 

 In our range the inshore spots are most numerous in 17 fathoms south 

 from Phillips, or Ocala Inlet. Everywhere south of Cape Saint George 

 good bottom is found closer to the shore, in fact within 2 or 3 miles of 

 it. As can be seen from a chart it extends much farther off. 



In this section rocks occur in ridges and knots rather than in gullies, 

 and the fauna is largely difterent. I think that the character of the 

 fishing-grounds of the coast would be well illustrated by examining 

 along the following courses : Starting just north of Key West in lati- 

 tude 240 50' N., longitude 82° W.5 steer northwest 136 miles, then 

 going gradually from the inshore to the offshore grounds; then turn 

 inshore northeast half east to reach the grouper grounds in 7^ fathoms, at 

 a i)oint much fished by the Key West smacks. Fi^om this point, if the 

 coast is followed by steering northwest by north 65 miles, many of the 

 grounds as far as Anclote Keys, of probable future use- to Lampa and 

 other places near by, would be found ; then steer west by north half north 

 117 miles to go over the grounds lying off Cedar Keys and to reach the 

 eastern limit of the Pensacola, Mobile, and New Orleans fisheries. As 

 before stated, west of this point it is only necessary to ruu along the edge 

 of deep water to gain a good idea of the bottom, the fishes, &c. 



There is an area, marked doubtless on most of the charts, in longitude 

 88° W., latitude 29° K, which we think is shoal and would furnish good 

 fishing. If it is found to be what we suppose, it would be very conven- 

 ient for the iS'^ew Orleans vessels. We are interested to learn the results 

 of experiments with trawls in these waters. 



Pensacola, Fla., December 7, 1883. 

 BuU. U. S. F. C, 84 19 



