ECOLOGY OF THE GULF OF MEXICO COMMERCIAL 

 SPONGES AND ITS RELATION TO THE FISHERY 



by 

 John F. Storr, Ph.D. 

 Department of Biology 

 State University of New York 

 Buffalo, New York 



ABSTRACT 



The results of 2 years of study on the ecology of the commercial sponges and 

 the relationship of sponge ecology to the commercial sponge fishery are discussed. 

 A review and fiber analysis of the various commercial sponge species are pre- 

 sented. Reproduction of sponges is reviewed, and the effects of temperature and 

 population concentration on reproduction are discussed. Data on the growth rate of 

 wool sponges are presented, and a growth formula calculated. Temperature, 

 salinity, depth of water, water currents, dispersion, population concentration, 

 disease, commensalism, rock bar communities, and other environmental relation- 

 ships are discussed. The sponge fishery from 1936 to 1958 is reviewed along with 

 an analysis of take per unit of effort, sponging methods, and relationship of fishing 

 and take to the sponge ecology. Present status of the industry is reviewed, and 

 recommendations made that might assist in increasing the harvest of sponges. 

 Projected increases in sponge population and sponging areas are analyzed. 



INTRODUCTION 



Although the first record of sponge taking in 

 Florida dates from 1822, it was not until 27 

 years later (1849) that domestic sponges be- 

 came a commercially valuable product in the 

 United States. By the time diving gear was in 

 use for sponging in 1905, concern was already 

 being expressed about conservation of this 

 valuable resource. This concern resulted in 4 

 years of extensive research (Moore, 1910a, 

 1910b) on sponge cultivation methods. His re- 

 ports also included descriptions of sponging 

 methods, the sponge grounds, and the com- 

 mercial species of sponges. 



No other major investigation of the Florida 

 sponges was undertaken until the outbreak of 

 the sponge disease in 1938. The results of this 

 investigation was reported by Galtsoff (1942) 



and Smith (1941). In 1947 and 1948, the State 

 of Florida Board of Conservation authorized 

 the University of Miami Marine Laboratory to 

 make limited surveys of the Florida sponge 

 grounds between Key West and Carrabelle. This 

 resulted in the published accounts of the eco- 

 nomic history of the industry (Smith, 1949; 

 Storr, 1956), a report of the expeditions 

 (Dawson and Smith, 1953), and a description 

 of the commercial and noncommercial sponges 

 collected (de Laubenfels, 1953). Meanwhile, 

 by 1951, production had fallen to less than 

 3 percent of the 1936 peak and the dollar re- 

 turns had declined to less than 3 percent of the 

 1946 value when more than $3 million worth 

 of sponges were sold. 



Because of this drastic decline in abundance 

 of sponges, the Sponge and Chamois Institute of 

 America and the sponge producers at Tarpon 



Note.--The study was made during 1955-57 while author was at the University of Miami Marine Laboratory. 



