276 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



and groupers, 4,265,569 pounds, valued at $110,689. The other 44 

 varieties of fisheries products, each valued at less than $100,000, 

 aggregated 21,886,991 pounds, valued at $475,691. 



Fisheries.— -The vessel fisheries of the west coast of Florida em- 

 ployed purse seines, gill nets, lines, otter trawls, dip nets, tongs, and 

 sponge apparatus, the total yield of which amounted to 21,801,071 

 pounds, valued at $848,640. judging from the value of the products, 

 the yield by lines was most important, amounting to 10,906,343 

 pounds, valued at $655,269, of which red snapper, with 7,964,907 

 pounds, valued at $580,020, was the species of greatest value, followed 

 by groupers with a yield of 2,721,396 pounds, valued at $64,488: 

 six less important varieties made up the remainder of the catch by 

 lines. The yield of the sponge apparatus was next in importance, 

 amounting to 73,892 pounds of sponges, valued at $109,182. Purse 

 seines, which caught 10,563,225 pounds of menhaden, valued at $70,- 

 421, also may be mentioned among the apparatus with important 

 yields. The other forms of apparatus each produced about $5,000 

 worth of products. 



The shore and boat fisheries produced 51,465,196 pounds, valued 

 at $3,177,587. Gill nets produced the largest catch— 27,282,918 

 pounds, valued at $1,232,437. Of this amount 19,028,591 pounds, 

 valued at $762,692, were mullet ; 2,812,948 pounds, valued at $271,148 

 were Spanish mackerel ; and 26 less important varieties made up the 

 remainder. Sponge apparatus was next in importance, yielding 

 500,701 pounds, valued at $764,390, most of which were sheepswool 

 sponges. Haul seines ranked third, with a yield of 9,136,614 pounds, 

 valued at $372,580. consisting chiefly of mullet. Lines produced 

 3,956,292 pounds, valued at $205,78f, of which 1,502,713 pounds, 

 valued at $100,030, were red snappers; 1,529,688 pounds, valued at 

 $45,768, groupers; 470,264 pounds, valued at $30,670, cero and king- 

 fish; and the remainder was made up of many species in smaller 

 quantities. Dredges produced 597,472 pounds of hard clams, valued 

 at $179,240 ; stop nets produced 3,528,104 pounds, valued at $126,985. 

 composed largely of mullet; otter trawls produced 2,814,237 pounds 

 of shrimp, valued at $111,935; and other gear, such as trammel nets, 

 pound nets, fyke nets, spears, dip nets, crawfish traps, and tongs, 

 made up the remainder of the catch of the shore and boat fisheries. 



Wholesale trade and industries. — The wholesale fish trade was 

 comprised of 92 firms that employed 635 persons, paid $511,846 in 

 wages, and had property and cash capital to the value of $1,253,810. 



In the fish canning and by-products industries there were 11 estab- 

 lishments, valued at $580,963, which had cash capital to the amount 

 of $54,000 and employed 338 persons, to whom $170,930 were paid 

 in wages. The total output was valued at $836,806, of which canned 

 shrimp and oysters accounted for $360,303; other canned fishery 

 products, $286,859; and miscellaneous products and by-products, 

 $189,644. 



The following tables and summary statements present the detailed 

 statistics of the fisheries of the west coast of Florida in 1924. 6 



For statistics on persons engaged, vessels, boats, gear, and investment in the fisheries 

 refer to page 266. 



