166 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



remaining in them, while those to which the black scum still adheres 

 are scraped with a knife. The sponges are then squeezed out quite 

 thoroughly with the hands, after which they are removed to the shore 

 and strung on pieces of coarse twine about 6 feet in length, in which 

 shape they are ready for sale. All sponges are sold by auction. 



SPONGES GATHERED IN FOREIGN WATERS. 



In September, 1900, the schooner Serajiita C.^ of Key West, made 

 a trip to the Mosquito Coast of Nicaragua, and l)rought back about 

 1,016 pounds of sheepswool sponges and 41: pounds of velvet sponges. 

 Most of these were taken in water shallow enough to permit of the 

 sponges being secured b}" wading. No effort was made to gather other 

 kinds, as they would not have sold for enough to pay for the collecting. 

 The sheepswool and velvet sponges were of an inferior grade. On land- 

 ing the sponges at Key West they were compelled to pay duty on them. 

 Owing to the success of the Semfina C. several other vessels have 

 since been working on these grounds. For some years past Key West 

 vessels have made occasional visits to these grounds, the schooner Sea 

 Gull having been wrecked while returning from such a trip in 1886. 



Shortly after the close of the Spanish war one or two of the vessels 

 visited Cuba and brought back a few sponges. These were not gath- 

 ered by the crew, however, but were purchased from the natives. As 

 the}^ were of an inferior grade, and duty had to be paid upon them, 

 no effort was made to continue the business. 



PREVIOUS ABUNDANCE. 



The four tables given below show for a series of years the catch of 

 the sponge fleet b}^ places, by kinds, the average price per pound, and 

 the relative importance of the different kinds in percentages of the total 

 quantity and value of the crop. In these the overwhelming prepon- 

 derance of Key West is very evident. Cedar Key and St. Marks have 

 dropped out of the fishery entirely, while Tarpon Springs and Apa- 

 lachicola have decreased slightly since 189Y so far as the quantity is 

 concerned. The catch for 1900, in both quantit}^ and value, exceeded 

 that for any other year for which figures are available. The catch of 

 sheepswool sponges for 1900 is lower than for 1895, but higher than 

 for the other ^^ears. The value of this kind has increased very much, 

 however. The catch of yellow sponges in(^reased nearly 90 per cent, 

 while the catch of grass sponges has almost doul)led since 1899. 



In the table showing the average price per pound the most notice- 

 able features are the great increases in value of the sheepswool and 

 the yellow sponges. While the sheepswool has been steadil}^ increas- 

 ing in value for years, the yellow suddenly jumped from 29 cents per 

 pound in 1899 to 59 cents in 1900, which is the highest ever known. 

 In 1901 thej^ soared even higher yet, some lots being sold on the Key 

 West sponge wharf for an average price ol ahout $1 per pound. This 



