36 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. 



104,700,010 pounds, valued at $767,141. The total pack was 1,877,757 

 cases, valued at $7,435,056, of -which 1,458.670 cases, valued at $5,- 

 669,352, were quarter oils. 



FLORIDA SPONGE FISHERY. 



The sponge-inspection service, to make effective the law regulating 

 the size of commercial sponges taken from waters off the Florida 

 coast and landed at American ports, has been kept up throughout 

 the year. The Florida sponge fishery appears to be maintaining a 

 satisfactory equilibrium between the natural supply and the catch. 

 It is regrettable that large quantities of small sponges barely meeting 

 legal requirements continue to be taken. In the previous report at- 

 tention was called to the large profit to be obtained if the small 

 sponges were permitted an additional year's growth. This seems to 

 have been demonstrated during the year by the quantity of large 

 sponges taken on certain bars that had not been fished for several 

 years. The continued demand for the larger sizes has somewhat en- 

 couraged the spongers to work in deeper water, say, from 9 to 12 

 fathoms. If a period of rest and recuperation for the shallower bars 

 can be secured for a reasonable period, the sponge fishery as a whole 

 will be greath' benefited. 



The fishery has not escaped the fluctuations in value and general 

 depression felt in other industries. The radical changes in price 

 throughout the year, with considerable quantities of sponges re- 

 maining unsold from time to time, have not tended to simplify the 

 financing of operations, but with a gradually improving market and 

 the high quality maintaiiiec' in the sponges taken the future may be 

 viewed without concern. 



INCREASED USEFULNESS TO THE FISHERIES. 



The Bureau has recently been extending to the fishing industry a 

 larger service than ever before, but it falls short of the opportunities 

 and has been unable to meet various obligations that naturally de- 

 volve on the sole Federal agency charged by law with the duty of 

 aiding the fisheries. 



With due regard for the utmost economy in governmental expendi- 

 tures, and having in view the efforts which the industry should 

 undertake on its own behalf, there has existed and still exists a real 

 need for additional Federal aid to the fisheries sucji as the Bureau is 

 able to render but which it can not undertake with its pj-esent facili- 

 ties. In an industry yielding an annual harvest of 2,500,000,000 

 pounds of products it is highly important from the standpoint of 

 national welfare that the aquatic resources be utilized to the best 

 advantage, and the Government would be amply justified in greatly 

 increasing the appropriations that are available for such a purpose. 



Some of the technological work that the Bureau felt should be 

 undertaken in behalf of the fisheries has })een indicated in estimates 

 of appropriations that have been submitted to Congress in recent 

 years and in special bills on which the Department has made favor- 

 able reports. At the present time an appeal is being made for an 

 increase in the general funds for maintaining the division charged 



