262 IT. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



Shad fishery of tht Hud-son River, 1923 and 192% — Continued 



Comparative statistics of the shad fishery of the Hudson River, 1915 to 1924 



Year 



1915 

 1916 

 1917 

 1918 

 1919 

 1920 

 1921 

 1922 

 1923 

 1924 



Value 

 $8,643 

 5,465 

 6,540 

 48,184 

 83. 724 

 56, 309 

 30, 623 

 39. 706 

 28,644 

 23,104 



FLORIDA SPONGE FISHERY 



In 1925 the quantity of sponges sold at the Sponge Exchange, 

 Tarpon Springs, Fla., was 434,672 pounds, valued at $715,097, of 

 w T hich 242,020 pounds, valued at $609,393, were large wool; 29,968 

 pounds, valued at $44,952, were small w T ool; 120,748 pounds, valued 

 at $48,300, yellow; 28,622 pounds, valued at $8,014, grass; and 

 13,314 pounds, valued at $4,438, wire. It is estimated that sponges 

 to the value of $50,000 were sold outside the exchange at Tarpon 

 Springs. 



Compared with the production of 1924, this is an increase of 2 

 per cent in total quantity and less than 1 per cent in total value. 

 When compared with the annual production in the years 1919 to 

 1924, it is apparent that the production for 1925 continued to be 

 slightly below normal in quantity and above normal in value. The 

 production of large wool sponges was below that for 1924 but com- 

 pared favorably with 1919-1923. The production of small wool 

 sponges decreased by almost half for the same period, while that 

 of yellow sponges increased by about half. The production of grass 

 sponges showed a gratifying increase over 1924, though it was con- 



