REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 103 



Oil March 20, 1S95; iu it the topics cousidered aic tlie geographical 

 features, the animal resources, the commercial fishing, and the avail- 

 able sites for a station. Accomi)auyiug the report are an interesting 

 account of sponge-cultural experiments in Biscnyne Bay, furnished by 

 Mr, Ealph M. Munroe, of Cocoanut Grove, and a report on an examina- 

 tion of tlie bay by Maj. T. H. Ilandburj^, of the Engineer Cori)S, United 

 States Army. 



FISHERIES OF MINOR INTERIOR WATERS. 



A canvass of the fishing industry of the interior waters was begun 

 in February, 1895. This work had been contemplated for several years, 

 but other demands on the division prevented the undertaking of the 

 inquiry until this time. The season when the condition of the division 

 affairs permitted the inauguration of this work necessitated the placing 

 of the field force in the southern i^art of the country, and the lower 

 section of the Mississippi Yalley was selected. The investigation, 

 which was carried on during the months of February, March, and part 

 of April, was suspended in April on account of lack of funds, after the 

 completion of the work in Louisiana and Alabama, and with a large 

 jiart of the fishing in Arkansas, Mississippi, and Tennessee covered. 

 The remaining territory in this region Avas canvassed early in the latter 

 part of 1895, and it seems desirable to refer to the results of the com- 

 pleted investigation rather than consider only the work that was done 

 in the fiscal year proper. The agents participating in this canvass 

 were Messrs. Ansley Hall, W. A. Wilcox, E. F. Locke, and T. M. 

 Cogswell. Mr. Hall covered the whole of Alabama and all of Missis- 

 sippi and Tennessee, with the exceptions of those portions on or near 

 the Mississippi lliver. Mr. Wilcox and Mr. Cogswell conjointly can- 

 vassed parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Tennessee. Mr. 

 Locke's inquiries were restricted to Louisiana. The statistical data 

 collected relalcu to the calendar year 1894 and included all fishing that 

 l^artook of an economic character. 



The commercial fisheries of these States were found to have the fol- 

 lowing extent: 



Persons engajTjed 3, 294 



Capital invested $173, 162 



Pounds of products taken 16,678, 722 



A^'aluo of products taken $519, 118 



The most prominent fishes of these States are buffalo fish, catfish, 

 and sheepshead, or fresh-water drum. The quantity and value of each 

 of these were as follows: Buffalo-fish, 5,520,510 pounds, $111,848; cat- 

 fish, 7,632,238 pounds, §232,494; sheepshead, 1,217,070 pounds, $38,210. 

 From these figures it appears that these three fish constitute about 

 seven eigliths the quantity and three-fourths the value of the entire 

 yield of tlie fresh-water fisheries. A brief statement of the extent of 

 the fishing found in each of these Stales will be given. In the report 

 embodying the results of the investigation a full discussion of the his- 

 tory, methods, apparatus, etc., will appear. 



