48 



FISHERIES OF THE COASTAL WATERS OF FLORIDA. 



The bottom fishermen at times use trail lines for Spanish mackerel, 

 runners, jacks, bluefish, barracuda, and other surface-swiininiug fish. 

 The catch in this way is small. 



A few small wire traps or pots of a peculiar type, introduced from 

 the Bahama Islands, are used by the Key West bottom fishermen; in 

 1895, 24 of these, with an average value of $3, were set. They are 

 baited with crawfish or fish and are set chiefly on reefs in convenient 

 places. Although they are not operated with great regularity and take 

 mostly small fish, their annual catch is considerable, amounting in 1895, 

 according to the best estimates obtainable, to 92,745 pounds, worth 

 $3,900. The fish composing the catch are chiefly grunts, angel-fish, 

 chub, small groupers and snappers, hogfish,porkfish,porgies, yellow tail, 

 tang, and tnrbot. 



Crawfish are taken for food in the same manner they are obtained 

 for bait — that is, with "grains," dip nets, etc. The local sales in 1895 

 were 31,500 pounds, valued at $630. A small fishery for stone crabs is 

 carried on. The crabs are drawn from their holes by means of hooks. 

 The taking of conchs for food and bait is unimportant; $30 worth of 

 conch meats represents the extent of the business in 1895, in addition 

 to which five pearls, valued at $85, were secured. 



An unimportant fishery for hard clams or quahogs is carried on from 

 Key West. The clams are gathered by hand on Pavilion Key, near the 

 mainland of Monroe County, and sold at Key West. The demand is 

 limited and only one small vessel isengaged in the business, makingthree 

 or four trips a year. The number taken in 1895 was 3,600, for which $36 

 was received. The clams are of large size and the supply is far in 

 excess of the present needs. 



Statistical summary of the market fisheries. — In 1895 the foregoing 

 fisheries gave employment to 136 persons. The number of boats used 

 was 97, valued, with their outfits, at $14,641. The following table 

 shows the quantity and value of the products of the Key West market 

 fisheries in 1895, including those used for bait. This branch is seen to 

 have yielded nearly 2,500,000 pounds of fish, etc., with a value to the 

 fishermen of over $80,000. 



Species. 



Amber-fish 



Angel-fish 



Barracuda 



Bluefish 



Bonetish 



Chnb 



Groupers 



Grunts 



Hogfish 



.lark and runner.. 



Jewtish 



Kinglish 



Margate-fish 



Mullet 



Mntton-fish 



Porkfish 



Pounds. 



Value. 



18,600 

 34, 100 

 31, 000 

 9, 240 

 70, 000 

 3,000 

 95. 3,-i0 



605, 480 

 81, 600 

 97, 500 

 1C, 000 



420, 000 

 13,500 

 43, 800 



196, 600 

 11, 962 



$620 

 1,410 

 1,240 



770 

 2, 100 



180 



2,102 



14, 082 



3. 480 



3, 250 



i 15 

 7, 000 



785 

 1,372 

 6, 890 

 1, 196 



Species. 



Porgies 



Red snapper 



Other snappers... 



Sailor's choice 



Schoolmaster 



Spanish mackerel 



Sheepshead 



Yellow-tail 



Other fish 



Sardines, etc -. 



Crawfish 



Conch 



Crabs 



Clams 



Total 



Pounds. 



Value. 



a Includes $85, the value of 5 pearls. 



