68 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



catcli is taken with pouud uets set on the two sides of the bay near its 

 mouth. According to the statements of Mr. Sterling, the yiekl in 1892 

 was but little more than half that of the previous season. The fish 

 were probably twice as large, however, as in 1891. As was the case 

 with the pompano, there appeared to be large schools of mackerel out 

 in the bay, but they did not come withii; reach of the nets. Mr. Ster- 

 ling states that nearly all the fish taken in the first part of the season, 

 or n\) to July 4 or 5, were fully ripe; and sometimes several hundred 

 would be brought in during a single day, all of which would contain 

 ripe spawn. 



SNAPPER FISHING ON CAMPECHE BANK. 



In the division report for 1892 mention was made of the preliminary 

 steps in the establishment of a fishery for red snappers and other fish 

 on Campeche Bank, lying about GOO miles oft" Galveston, in the Gulf of 

 Mexico. The Galveston Fish Company, organized to prosecute the 

 fishery under the liberal regulations provided by the Mexican Govern- 

 ment, has furnished a history of the fishing operations, from which the 

 following account has been prepared: 



During the year 1892 some experimental fishing was done with a view 

 to ascertain the probable yield of the fishing-grounds on Campeche 

 Bank, The success of the trials led to the establishment of a regular 

 fishery. Early in January, 1893, three welled-smacks were placed on 

 the bank, with headquarters at Alacran Eeef; these were the schooners 

 JEstella, of 36.64 tons, Caro Piper, of 28,32 tons, and Storm King, of 

 41.20 tons. These were manned by crews of 8 to 12 fishermen, A 

 steam vessel, carrying 11 men, was employed to transfer the catch 

 from the smacks to the distributing point. 



The principal fishes taken were the red snapper {Luijanus hlackfordi\ 

 the red grouper {Epinephelus morio), the Warsaw or black grouper {E. 

 nigritus), sometimes called Jewhsh, and thejewflsh {Promicrops guasa), 

 also known as the warsaw and called junefish by the Galveston Fish- 

 ing Company. The red snappers greatly predominated in abundance, 

 constituting more than three-fourths of the catch. They weighed from 

 3to 20 pounds, large fishbeing very numerous. The red groupers ranked 

 next to the snappers in abundance. They weighed on an average above 

 8 pounds. Warsaws and Jewfish constantly figured in the catch, but 

 were of little commercial value. They are large fish, and specimens 

 of the latter were taken weighing 300 pounds. 



The fishing-grounds frequented by the vessels lay between Alacran 

 Keef and Arenas Cays. Fishing Avas done in water 40 to 60 fathoms 

 deep, Tlie fish were taken with hand lines, baited Avith fresh red snap- 

 per or grouper caught on the grounds. At times they would bite at 

 almost anything, following the hook to the surface of the water, but on 

 other occasions tliey Ix'canie more wary and would take only fresh bait, 

 Spanish mackerel being the most eti'ective. 



