56 V. S. BUKEAU OF PISHEBIES. 



Avorked by the hookers up to the time of the introduction of diving 

 apparatus, in April, 1905, covered an area of 4,350 square miles, of 

 which the bay grounds contained about 3,400 and the key grounds 

 about 950 square miles. It must not be considered, however, that all 

 of this area is productive, for, on the contraiy, .the actual sponge- 

 producing bottom in any given field is far less than the barren areas 

 with which it is mingled." Since the introduction of diving a con- 

 siderable area has been added to the sponge grounds, because opera- 

 tions can be carried on at greater depths. 



In Florida two methods are used in gathering sponges — diving and 

 hooking. A sponge-diver's outfit generally consists of a schooner of 

 between 10 and 20 tons register and one or two machine boats. The 

 schooner is used as living quarters for the crew and a place of de- 

 posit for the sponges. The machine boats cari-y the usual diving ap- 

 paratus and are of the Greek type, with high bows and sterns. The 

 diving dress consists of a helmet, rubber suit, breastplate, shoes, and 

 weights. Generally seven to nine men are carried, consisting of a 

 captain, deckhand, cook, and a diving crew. The great majority' of 

 divers' boats operate from Tarpon Springs. 



The divers generally operate at a depth of 60 feet or less and re- 

 main down for about two hours at a time. As there are two divers 

 to a boat, each man works about two hours and rests for a like 

 period. At greater depths the working time is shorter and the rests 

 longer. The sponges are gathered by hand and placed in a net 

 basket, which is pulled to the surface from time to time to be 

 emptied. The divers often work in places that are inaccessible to 

 the " hookers," and it is probable that the sponges found in such 

 localities could not be obtained by any other method. The daily 

 catch varies considerably, but it usually averages from 10 to 15 

 bunches for each boat. Occasionally a prolific bed is found, result- 

 ing in a catch of 40 or 50 bunches in one day. The boats often re- 

 main away for one to two months, but sometimes a good catch is 

 made in one week. 



The Key West fishermen use the sponge hook almost exclusively. 

 Prior to 1905 all sponges in this country were taken with hooks, 

 but diving has proven so much superior that the old method is now 

 of small importance in the fishery. 



The sponge hook has the one advantage that it can be used by one 

 or two men and at practically no expense. The hook is attached 

 to a pole of convenient length and has three tines bent at right angles 

 to the handle, so that a sponge may be lifted perpendicularly from 

 the bottom. The typical hook fisherman has a sloop 25 to 40 feet 

 long on which he lives and a 12 or 14 foot dory in which he works. 

 Sails are generally depended upon in going to and from the grounds, 

 as only a few of the boats used are equipped with auxiliary engines. 



The hook fisherman usually operates among the keys where the 

 water is clear and about 6 to 15 feet in depth. Except when the 

 water is very smooth a sponge glass (that is, a wooden bucket with a 

 glass bottom) is used for locating the sponges. Wlien two men 

 work together, the hooker remains in the bow with the sponge glass 

 and directs his companion in the movements of the boat. Sometimes 

 one man works independently, in which case he weights the stern of 

 the dory with iron and propels the boat by pushing on the bottom 



