16 FISHERIES OF THE COASTAL WATERS OF FLORIDA. 



According to all reports, on some grounds sponges grow much faster than on others. 

 They have been noticed to grow to full size inside of four mouths in certain locali- 

 ties along this coast, while at other localities it takes young sponges at least six 

 months to grow to full size. This fact can be put to advantage by restricting sponge 

 gathering during several months on certain grounds, during which time the sponge 

 fishermen can gather the sponges on the other parts of this coast. However, as it is 

 necessary to the sponge fishermen to have not only good weather but also clear water, 

 so as to enable them to see the bottom and to locate the sponges, it may happen that 

 when they are out on their expeditions they may meet with muddy water on the unre- 

 stricted sponge-grounds of the season, while on the restricted grounds during that 

 season the water may be clear and just in condition to allow them to locate and to 

 gather the sponges. However, as the benefit that sponge fishermen could derive 

 from the above restriction of certain grounds during certain seasons of the year 

 would soon be important and lasting, it seems to me that no proper objections could 

 be offered to the method. 



Legislation needed. — The legislation needed for the protection of the sponge beds on 

 the coasts of Florida would be to reach the three following essential points : 



1. To divide the sponge-grounds on the coast of Florida into sections or squares of 

 100 miles, more or less, each, and to allow the gathering of the sponges on each sec- 

 tion at certain intervals of time only, thus leaving the sponges which are on the other 

 sections or squares at rest during that time, to grow and to reach the seeding sizes. 



2. To prevent the gathering of small or undersized sponges. 



3. To forbid the use of the submarine diving apparatus on the sponge beds, so as 

 to prevent parties who at any time may perhaps undertake the use of some to the 

 injury of the spouge beds. 



OYSTERS. 



The oyster does not occur on the coast of southern Florida in any 

 abundance, but on both coasts in the northern part of the State im- 

 portant beds are found. At various places on the east coast, between 

 Fernandina and Biscayne Bay, are grounds which are worked to some 

 extent, those in Nassau County being the most extensive and produc- 

 tive. The beds in Indian River are sufficiently important to supply 

 the local demand and furnish a considerable surplus for shipment. 

 The best beds are apparently in the southern end of the river. 



Oysters are not known to occur in any numbers in Lake Worth, but 

 in Biscayne Bay there are beds which can probably be made to produce 

 a fair yield. Below Biscayne Bay no oysters of commercial value are 

 known until Charlotte Harbor is reached, on the west coast. It should 

 be stated, however, that this portion of the coast has never been sys- 

 tematically examined for the purpose of locating any oyster beds that 

 may exist. It is not at all improbable that such an examination would 

 show the existence in that region of oyster-grounds of some value. 



The most southern beds of importance on the west coast are located 

 at the mouth of Manatee Kiver, in Sarasota Bay, and at Cape Haze, 

 in Charlotte Harbor. Besides these, there are other small beds at 

 various places along this coast which are worked to some extent. The 

 supply from all these beds is said to be steadily decreasing, and it is 

 the general opinion that unless something is done to protect the beds 

 they will soon become entirely depleted. Some years ago Tampa drew 

 its supply principally from Old Tampa Bay, but the beds at that place 

 became entirely depleted and have not been worked at'all for the last 



