FISHERIES OF THE COASTAL WATERS OF FLORIDA. 5 



SHEEPSWOOL SPONGE. 



The slieepswool sponge is found at various places along the Florida 

 coast from Apalachicola on the west to Cape Florida and the head of 

 Biscayne Bay on the east. The centers of greatest abundance are near 

 Cedar Keys and Anclote Keys, though the entire region from off St. 

 Marks to Charlotte Harbor produces this species. This is commonly 

 called "the bay," and sponges from here are known as "bay sponges.'' 



Below Charlotte Harbor the sheepswool is not found in any abun- 

 dance until beyond Key AVest among the Florida Keys. Important 

 grounds are about Knight Key, Bahia Honda, Matecumbe, and in 

 Biscayne Bay. 



The best quality of sheepswool sponges comes from the Anclote and 

 Rock Island grounds. These are regarded by many as the best of 

 all sponges. According to some, the key sheepswool were formerly 

 regarded as the best, but now those obtained there seem to have dete- 

 riorated in quality. The best key sponges are said to come from the 

 vicinity of Matecumbe Keys. 



The sheepswool sponge grows upon hard, rocky, or barry bottom; in 

 the shallower water, however, it is frequently found on grassy bottom. 

 It is rarely found on soft mud or sandy bottom, and appears not to thrive 

 under such conditions. The hard, rocky bottom is usually, perhaps 

 always, of coral growth or origin. 



The majority of the sheepswool sponges nosv obtained are secured in 

 water ranging in depth from 30 to 50 feet. Some are found in water as 

 shallow as 10 or 12 feet, but they are kept pretty closely fished out in 

 these shallow depths. Formerly the principal and best grounds were in 

 shallow water, but it is now found necessary to resort to deeper and 

 deeper water year after year. 



Whether the sheepswool sponge grows in any abundance at greater 

 depths than about 50 feet is not definitely known. The method by 

 which the sponges are secured is such as can not be applied in a depth 

 greater than 50'feet. The majority of the spongers believe, however, 

 that sponges grow in abundance beyond a depth of 50 feet. On the 

 other hand, some think that, on the Florida coast, the commercial 

 sponges do not occur in any numbers at greater depths than 50 or 00 

 feet. It is held by these that in depths greater than this the bottom is 

 chietly of sand and consequently uusuited to the growth of sponges. 

 This opinion is based upon the observed fact that the better kinds of 

 sponges, while doing well in shallow water if upon rock bottom, do not 

 thrive upon sand bottom at the same depths, and the further fact that 

 such investigations as have been made along the Florida coast show 

 that the rock bottom upon which the sponges thrive does not ordinarily 

 reach greater depths than 60 feet, but that beyond that depth a sand or 

 mud bottom is found. Sufficient experiments in securing sponges by 

 diving have not been made to throw much light upon this question. 



According to Mr. E. J. Arapian, who possesses a wide and intimate 

 acquaintance with all the important sponging-grounds of the world, 



