MlLLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 145 



Vol. V, No. 10. Washington, I>. C. April 25, 1885. 



30.-THE RED SNAPPER GROUNDS IN THE GULF OF MEXICO.* 



By Capt. J. W. COLLINS. 



[From a letter to Prof. 8. F. Baird.] 



It may interest you to learn that on our way from Tampa to Tor- 

 tugas we found red snappers much more generally distributed and 

 seemingly far more abundant than they are on the fishing grounds 

 farther to the northwest, where the fishery is now carried on. These 

 grounds, lying between Tampa and the Tortugas, outside of a depth of 

 20 fathoms, have never been resorted to by the fishermen, so far as I 

 have been able to learn, and their investigation I have deemed a mat- 

 ter of the highest importance to the fishing industries of the South. In 

 a word, I think there is no doubt that we have discovered new grounds 

 that are unusually rich in fish life, and particularly in the undisturbed 

 abundance of red snappers. So far as our investigations extended, fish 

 were found most plentiful in 25 to 27 fathoms of water, but seldom out- 

 side of the greater depth. In one instance, yesterday morning, a little 

 after sunrise, we 'struck a school where we caught snappers "pair and 

 pair," and so very plentiful were the fish that they actually came up to 

 the surface near enough for us to see them over the ship's side. We 

 caught only a few, since we had enough for the ship's use, and it would 

 have been purposeless cruelty to catch fish that were not wanted. I 

 believe, however, that a smack might have taken a full fare in this 

 locality. 



I am glad that the Lookout is on the Florida coast investigating the 

 spawning fish. Should she stay late enough, I hope something may be 

 learned of the breeding habits of the red snapper, the number of eggs 

 it has, &c. This seems important, and a matter well deserving the at- 

 tention of the Uuited States Fish Commission, siuce it is probable, at 

 least, that this species is being more or less rapidly depleted, and the 

 day may not be far distant when the services of the Commission will 

 be needed to keep up the supply, if not to prevent the practical de- 

 struction of the important fishery now prosecuted for the red snapper. 



It is a matter of some regret to me that there has been no good op- 

 portunity to test the gill-nets and trawl-lines. It would have been in- 

 teresting to have made trials with these under favorable conditions, so 



* The steamer Albatross left Washington January 3, 1835, and returned April 6. The 

 vessel made two separate trips from Pensacolato the Red Snapper Grounds. This is 

 the first Govemmentareffort to examine the off-shore fishing-grounds of the Gulf of 

 Mexico, aud the success obtained justifies tho claim that, by means of such a vessel, 

 new fishing-grounds might undoubtedly be discovered which would add materially 

 to the resources of the country. — Editob. 



Bull. U. S. F. 0., S5 10 



