400 



U. S. BUREAU OP" FISHERIES 



Our imports of sponges in 1929, which originated mostly from 

 Cuba, although considerable quantities come from the British West 

 Indies, amounted to 856,515 pounds, valued at $1,091,129. Our 

 exports during 1929 which were forwarded mainly to the United 

 Kingdom, Canada, Argentina, France, Italy, Egypt, and the Nether- 

 lands, amounted to 124,443 pounds, valued at $151,933. The net 

 consumption of sponges in 1929 in the United States, computed by 

 adding the volume of imports for domestic consumption to the domes- 

 tic production and deducting the exports, amounted to 1,260,793 

 pounds, valued at $1,818,842. 



Sponges are utilized in the arts and industries, such as in applying 

 a glaze to pottery, for the toilet, and for cleaning automobiles and 

 other vehicles. Some also are used in surgical work. 



During 1930 sponges handled on the exchange amounted to 414,082 

 pounds valued at $802,938. This is an increase of 9 per cent in quan- 

 tity and 14 per cent in value as compared with the quantity and 

 value of the transactions on the exchange during 1929. However, it 

 represents a decrease of 8 per cent in quantity and an increase of 14 

 per cent in value as compared with the average quantity and value 

 of the transactions over the 5-year period from 1922 to 1926. It is 

 estimated that the value of sponges sold outside of the exchange dur- 

 ing 1930 amounted to $75,000. Of the total sponges sold on the ex- 

 change in 1930, 258,110 pounds, valued at $689,670, were large wool; 

 41,434 pounds, valued at $60,908, were small wool; 57,039 pounds, 

 valued at $33,083, were yellow; 54,208 pounds, valued at $17,346, 

 were grass; and 3,291 pounds, valued at $1,931, were wire sponges. 



Sponge fishery of Florida, 1929 

 OPERATING UNITS: By gear 



CATCH: By gear 



