FISHEEY INDUSTRIES OF THE UXITED STATES. 105 



FISHERIES OF EAST COAST OF FLORIDA. 



The statistics here presented are for the eastern coast of Florida 

 and, among the South Atlantic States, were surpassed only by North 

 Carolina. The number of persons employed was 3,330, of whom 395 

 were on fishing and transporting vessels, 2,104 in the shore or boat 

 fisheries, and 831 in the wholesale fishery trade, the menhaden indus- 

 try, and the oyster and shrimp caimmg industry. Compared with 

 1902, there has been an increase in the persons employed of 632. 



The investment amounted to S2, 2 10,079, which includes 30 fishing 

 and transporting vessels, valued at S409,900, with a net tonnage of 

 814 tons and outfits valued at S7o,137; 839 power boats, valued at 

 S459,650; 607 sail, row, and other boats, valued at §20,180; fishing 

 apparatus emploj'ed on vessels and boats, valued at S235,492; shore 

 and accessory property to the value of §858,720; and working cash 

 capital amountmg to S151,600. Compared with 1902, the increase in 

 the investment amounts to $1,855,844. 



The products of eastern Florida amounted to 81,211,488 pounds, 

 valued at 81,746,175, an increase of 61,627,223 pounds, or 314.67 

 per cent, in the quantity and SI, 268, 307, or 265.41 per cent, in the 

 value as compared with 1902. 



The 10 leading products arranged in order of value follow: Mul- 

 let, 10,417,889 pounds, valued at $397^47; shrimp, 8,867,918 pounds, 

 valued at $266,651; Spanish mackerel, 3,061,965 pounds, valued at 

 $218,085; menhaden, 48,362,600 pounds, valued at $210,175; cero 

 and kin^fish, 2,271,792 pounds, valued at $147,608; squeteague or 

 '•sea trout," 1,645,223 pounds, valued at $142,091; shad, 963,606 

 pounds, valued at $135,844; bluefish, 561,301 pounds, valued at 

 $54,715; red and black drum, 900,091 pounds, valued at $24,638; 

 and oysters, 458,990 pounds, or 65,570 bushels, valued at $20,128. 



Compared with 1902, the increase in the catch of bluefish amomits 

 to 481,801 pounds, or 606.03 per cent; of red and black drum, to 

 765,206, or 567.30 per cent; of mullet, to 3,076,973 pounds, or 41.91 

 per cent; of Spanish mackerel, to 2,402,877 pounds, or 364.57 per 

 cent; of squeteague, to 746,660 pounds, or 83.09 per cent; and of 

 shrimp, to 5,855,064 pounds, or 194.33 per cent. There has been a 

 decrease in the catch of shad as compared with 1902, amounting to 

 855,825 pounds, or 47.04 per cent; and of oysters, of 1,704,493 

 pounds, or 243,499 bushels, or 78.78 per cent. No cero, kinglish (not 

 king whiting), or menhaden were indudcd in the returns for 1902. 



A comparison of the fisheries of the east and west coast of Florida 

 in 1918 is given on pages 116, 117. 



FISHERIES UY COUNTIES. 



The statistics of the number ol persons cngaf^ed, investment, and 

 products of the fisheries of the eastern coast ol Florida in 1918, by 

 counties, arc given in the table following. 



