THE SPONGE FISHERY OF FLORIDA IN 1900. 



By John N. Cobb, 

 Agent, of the United States FisJi Couunission. 



In 1901 the writer Avas detailed to make an invewtigation of the 

 conuncrcial aspects of the tisher}^, and the following- notes oive com- 

 plete data showing- its condition in the calendar year 11)00: 



GROUNDS, VESSELS, METHODS OF THE FISHERY, ETC. « 



There are two well-defined areas of the Florida coast in which spong- 

 ing is prosecuted. 



A chain of '"kej's,'" or islands, starts from the mainland at about 

 Miami, on the east coast, and extends, in the shape of a horn, far into 

 the Gulf of Mexico, the Dry Tortugas being the westernmost point of 

 the horn. In the waters surrounding most of these keys, and also 

 between the kej^s and the mainland as far as Cape Sable, sponges are 

 found. This is called the "key grounds" and is worked exclusively 

 by spongers from Key West and the few inhabitants of the many 

 keys. The earliest sponging was on these grounds. 



The '"baj' grounds,"' which are the most prolific, are on the west 

 coast, in the Gulf of Mexico, and extend from Johns. Pass, a few 

 miles north of the entrance to Tampa Bay, to St. Mark's light-house, 

 a distance of about 200 miles. Sponges are also found in the Gulf 

 between Tampa Bay and Cape Sable, but not in sufficient quantities to 

 justify making trips specially to this region. 



The sponges taken from these grounds are classified as follows by the 

 spongers and buyers: Sheepswool, yellow, grass, velvet or boat, and 

 glove. A few other unimportant kinds, such as " wire," "hardhead," 

 etc., are generally included with those previously mentioned. 



Vessels of a schooner or sloop rig, ranging from 5 to 46 tons (aver- 

 aging slightly over 11 tons), operate chiefly on the " bay grounds," 

 while small sloops, usually of less than 5 tons burden, work mainly on 

 the "key grounds." The larger vessels, which average about $1,168 



" No effort has been made to give these subjects in detail, as they have been covered in other 

 reports, to which the reader is referred as follows: 



The Fisheries mihI FisluTv Iiidu.stries of the I'nitol States. Tenth Ccn.sus of the United States. 



The Fisli and Fisheries of the Coa.stal Waters of Florida. Rep. U. S. Fi.sh Com. 189G, pp. 203-842. 



The Florida Coiumercial Sponges. By Hugh M. Smith. Bull. U. S. Fish Com. 1897, pp. 22.5-210, 

 19 pis. 



Notes on the P'lorida Sjwnge Fishery in 1.S99. Bv Hugh M. Smith. Bull. U. S. Fish Com. I,sy9, t>i>. 

 149-151. 



163 



