FISHERIES OF THE COASTAL WATERS OF FLORIDA. 27 



holes which it excavates in the sand. It attains a large size, adults 

 often measuring 7 or 8 inches across the shell. People living along the 

 coast esteem it highly as an article of food, and considerable quantities 

 are taken for sale and local consumption. 



The common blue crab (Gallinectes hastatus) is distributed along the 

 entire coast of Florida in the bays and estuaries, and often in fresh- 

 water rivers and lakes having close connection with the salt water. It 

 lives in the shoal waters during the warmer months, but retires to deep 

 water on the approach of cold weather. The period of spawning and 

 shedding extends over several months, possibly the entire summer, for 

 some individuals are found carrying spawn and others in a soft state 

 during the whole season. While shedding its shell and until the new 

 shell has become sufficiently hard to protect it, the crab remains hidden 

 in the mud or among the seaweeds. The average size of the bine crab 

 is about (3 inches across the shell. It is so generally abundant that 

 people can, in most places, obtain all they desire without much trouble, 

 and it has therefore given rise to no special fishery. 



The spiny lobster (Panulirus americanus) is very abundant at Key 

 West and generally among the Florida keys, where it lives on the bot- 

 tom, concealed among the coral. It attains a length of more than a 

 foot and has excellent food qualities, resembling in flavor the common 

 lobster. It is at this time of commercial importance only at Key West, 

 where large quantities are taken annually for food and for bait in the 

 line fisheries. 



FISHERIES OF THE NORTHEAST COAST. 



That sectiou of tbe Florida coast north of Indian Kiver, comprising 

 parts of the counties of Volusia, St. .Johns. Duval, and Nassau, and 

 containing the important cities of St. Augustine. Jacksonville, and 

 Fernandina, has valuable saltwater fishery resources and interests. It 

 was not feasible to canvass this section in the recent investigations of 

 the Florida coast fisheries, but it is possible to make a statement of the 

 nature and general extent of the fisheries based on inquiries conducted 

 in 1891. 



The most important fishery product of this section is the oyster, which 

 is taken in all the counties named, but is most valuable in Nassau County, 

 in which there is a large oyster fishery and canning business centering 

 at Fernandina. The mullet is the most prominent of the fishes, the 

 catch in Duval County being larger than in the other three counties 

 combined. Other tishes of this region of noteworthy commercial 

 importance are squeteague, channel bass, and sheepshead. Turtles, 

 terrapins, shrimps, crabs, and clams are taken in small quantities. The 

 principal part of the fish caught are taken in gill nets and seines? 

 although cast nets, lines, and pound nets are also used. 



In 1890 the fishing industry of this section gave employment to 193 

 fishermen and 150 shoresmen. The vessels and boats used numbered 

 329, with a value of $11,655. The apparatus of capture was valued at 



