tt ne 
68 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
catch is taken with pound nets set on the two sides of the bay near its 
mouth. According to the statements of Mr. Sterling, the yield 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 within reach of the nets. Mr. Ster- 
ling states that nearly all the fish taken in the first part of the season, 
or up 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 600 miles off 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 Reef; these were the schooners 
Estella, 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 (Lutjanus blackfordt), 
the red grouper (Hpinephelus morio), the warsaw or black grouper (E. 
nigritus), sometimes called jewfish, and the jewfish (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 fish being verynumerous. The red groupers ranked 
next tothe 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 
Reef and Arenas Cays. Fishing was done in water 40 to 60 fathoms 
deep. The fish were taken with hand lines, baited with 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 they became more wary and would take only fresh bait, 
Spanish mackerel being the most effective. 
