THE SPONCE FISHERY OF FLORIDA IN 11)00. 



By John N. Cobb, 



Agent of the United States Fish Commission. 



In IDOi the writer wan detailed to make an inve.stigation of the 

 conimcrcial aspects of the iisheiy, and the following notes give com- 

 plete data showing its condition in the calendar year 1900: 



GROUNDS, VESSELS, METHODS OF THE FISHERY, ETC. « 



There are two well-detined areas of the Florida coast in which spong- 

 ing is prosecuted. 



A chain of ''keys," or islands, starts from the mainland at a))out 

 Miami, on the east coast, and extends, in the shape of a horn, far into 

 the Gulf of Mexico, the Dry Tortugas being the westerimiost point of 

 the horn. In the waters surrounding most of these ke^^s, and also 

 between the ke3's and the mainland as far as Cape Sable, sponges are 

 found. This is called the "key grounds" and is worked exclusively 

 by spongers from Key West and the few inhabitants of the many 

 keys. The earliest sponging was on these grounds. 



The "bay grounds," which are the most prolific, are on the west 

 coast, in the Gulf of Mexico, and extend from Johns Pass, a few 

 miles north of the entrance to Tampa Bay, to St. Mark's light-house, 

 a distance of a])out 200 miles. Sponges are also found in the Gulf 

 between Tampa Bay and Cape Sable, but not in sufficient quantities to 

 justify making trips specially to this region. 



The sponges taken from these grounds are classified as follows by the 

 spongers and buyers: Sheepswool, yellow, grass, velvet or boat, and 

 glove. A few other unimportant kinds, such as " wire," "hardhead," 

 etc., arc generally included with those previously mentioned. 



Vessels of a schooner or sloop rig, ranging from 5 to 46 tons (aver- 

 aging sliglitl}' over 11 tons), operate chiefly on the " baj^ grounds," 

 while small sloops, usuall}^ of less than 5 tons burden, work mainly on 

 the "key grounds." The larger vessels, which average about |1,168 



«No effort has been marte to give these subjects in detail, as they have been covered in other 

 reports, to which the reader is referred as follows: 



The Fisheries and Fishery Industries of the United States. Tenth Census of the United States. 



The Fish and Fisheries of the Coastal Waters of Florida. Rep. U. S. Fish Com. 1896, pp. 203-342. 



The Florida Commercial Sponges. Bv Hugh M. Smith. Bull. U. S. Fish Com. 1897, pp. 22.5-240, 

 19 pis. 



Notes on the Florida Sponge Fishery in 1899. By Hugh M. Smith. Bull. U. S. Fish Com. 1899, pp. 

 149-101. • ■ 



163 



