472 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 
There is here no intrinsic evidence that the beds are being depleted, but 
in the absence of data showing the intensity of the fishery no conclusions of 
value can be reached. There are no details available which would permit a 
comparison of the catch per man, though there is unofficial authority for the 
statement that ‘“‘about 3,000 men and boys” were employed in the fishery 
about 1880, while official returns show that more than twice that many were 
employed in 1902. 
Methods of the fishery—The methods of fishing for sponges in the Bahamas 
are essentially those which have been described as in use in Florida prior to 
the introduction of the diving machine in 1905, and the history of the develop- 
ment of the industry is parallel. Practically all of the sponges are taken by 
means of hooks, by poling and sculling, though a few are secured by wading 
and naked diving. The methods of curing and packing are the same as those 
employed in Florida and the entire product passes through the sponge exchange 
at Nassau. 
In 1902 there were employed in the fishery 265 schooners of from 5 to 43 
tons and 322 sloops of from : to 16 tons, in all 587 vessels with an aggregate 
tonnage of 5,952. Attached to these vessels were 2,517 dingeys and crews 
numbering 5,517 men and boys. In addition there were engaged in the shore 
fisheries 291 boats and 445 men and boys, while the packing houses employed 
258 persons. 
The sponge fishery is the most important industry of the islands and over 
half of the product is shipped to the United States. The following statement 
shows the exports for 1905: 
EXPORTS OF SPONGES FROM THE BAHAMA ISLANDS IN 1905. 
Pounds. Pounds. 
Wnited! States 2752 ese se eee 8645, 058) | RUSSIAS. = ee a ee es 10, 441 
Germany." see a eee 2h4.a04) | Callandor eS. ieee ae ee ee 1,457 
roland) == ees ae ee eas bg eisyar eho [live (Rees eee oe ee en eee ae 4, 396 
Pran@e= oss eee sees nese EE Se 95,715 SS 
Wnited Kingdon. = 29 s2U 6 eee ae = 95, 499 iPotaltere aks ee ee Sree oe 1, 485, 148 
CUBA. 
Sponge grounds.—The sponge beds of Cuba are found on both the north and 
south coasts, the latter supporting the more important and productive fishery. 
There are a few inferior sponges, principally a hard quality of velvet, on the 
north coast of Pinar del Rio, but the productive beds of the north coast are 
all among the numerous keys between Cardenas and Nuevitas. These beds 
were known before the discovery of the Batabano grounds and were resorted to 
by the Bahama spongers under license from the Spanish authorities. They lie 
in shallow water within and about the line of keys which skirts the Nicholas and 
Old Bahama channels, opposite the important beds of the Great Bahama Bank. 
It is stated that these beds have become greatly depleted by overfishing and 
