498 



U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



During 1923, the fisheries and fishery industries of the South 

 Atlantic States employed 16,298 persons, of whom 10,274 were em- 

 ployed in fishery operations and 6,024 in the wholesale fishery trade 

 and the canning, salting, smoking, and by-products industries. The 

 products of the fisheries of these States amounted to 228,747,930 

 pounds, valued at $5,087,340. 



FISHERIES OF THE GULF STATES 



The latest statistical canvass of the fisheries and fishery industries 

 of the Gulf States (west coast of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, 

 Louisiana, and Texas) was made for the calendar year 1923. Com- 

 plete statistics are pubHshed in the report of the division of fishery 

 industries for 1925 and in Statistical Bulletin No. 670. 



During 1923, the fisheries and fishery industries of the Gulf States 

 employed 17,793 persons, of whom 11,132 were engaged in fishing 

 operations, 1,785 in the wholesale fishery trade, and 4,876 in the 

 fish-canning and by-products industries. The yield of the fisheries 

 aggregated 160,324,042 pounds, valued at $8,096,650. The products 

 of the canning and by-products industries were valued at $6,264,913. 



In addition to the above general canvass, annual statistics are 

 collected on the quantity of sponges sold on the exchange at Tarpon 

 Springs, Fla. The statistics for 1927 are discussed below. 



FLORIDA SPONGES 



In 1927, the quantity of sponges sold on the sponge exchange, 

 Tarpon Springs, Fla., was 414,417 pounds, valued at $865,510. Of 

 this amount 252,463 pounds, valued at $752,435, were large wool; 

 35,413 pounds, valued at $61,973, were small wool; 65,429 pounds, 

 valued at $32,714, were yellow; 50,495 pounds, valued at $14,139, 

 were grass; and 10,617 pounds, valued at $4,249, were wdre. It is 

 estimated that sponges to the value of $50,000 were sold outside of 

 the exchange at Tarpon Springs. Compared with the number of 

 sponges sold on the exchange in 1926, the quantity sold in 1927 is 

 13 per cent greater, while the value was 30 per cent greater. The 

 quantity of each grade of sponge handled in 1927 also increased over 

 the previous year. Greater production was due, in a large measure, 

 to the favorable weather conditions durmg the first six months of 

 the year. 



Sponges sold at the exchange, Tarpon Springs, Fla., 1919 to 1927 



