168 



REPOUT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



IMPORTS AND EXPORTS OF SPONGES. 



As the yield of domestic sponges is not equal to the demand, large 

 quantities are imported each year, the greater part of these coming 

 from the Bahama Islands, Cuba, Haiti, Greece, Austria-Hungarj^, and 

 Turkey. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1900, the imports of 

 foreign sponges amounted in value to $536,303, almost as much as the 

 value of the catch of domestic sponges for the calendar year 1900, 

 which was $567,68.5. During 1900 we exported 71,612 pounds of 

 domestic sponges, valued at $32,199, most of which went to Great 

 Britain, German}', Netherlands, Belgium, and France. Most of these 

 were grass si:)onges, for which there is ver}' little demand in this 

 country. We also exported $81:, 100 worth of foreign sponges which 

 had been previously imported. Except in the imports during 1900 

 there has been very little fluctuation during the last three years. The 

 following table shows the imports and exports for the fiscal years 

 1896, 1897, 1898, 1899, and 1900: 



Table showing- tJie inqjoris and exports of sponges in 1S9G, 1897, 1S9S, 1899, and 1900. 



STATISTICS OF THE FISHERY. 



The season of 1900 was one of the best that the spongers have had 

 for years. Owing to the unusual clearness of the water on the *' kej'' 

 grounds'' the spongers were enabled to work over almost all the 

 grounds, a thing which has not happened for some years. This was 

 especially noticeable around Sand}' Key, near Cape Sable. Usually 

 yellow, muddy water is found stretching out for about 40 miles in 

 every direction from this key, except toward the mainland, which is 

 about 1 miles distant, and frou a distance the surface looks like a light 

 yellow mud bank exposed at low water after the nnid has had time to 

 dry. Last season was the first time in about fourteen years in which the 

 spongers were enabled to work this section. A noticealile feature 

 was the unusual number of rotten sponges gathered on this ground. 

 No sign of this rot appeared on the surface of the sponge, but after 

 it had been cleaned it could easily be seen by pulling aside the fiber 

 at the bottom. In some of them the whole inside had l)eon rotted 

 away while the exterior presented a clean, healthy appearance. 



The tables show the condition of the industry for 1900. The great 

 preponderance of Key West is ^•erv noticea))le in all of the taldes, 



