112 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



FISHERIES OF WESTERN FLORIDA. 



The fisheries of western Florida are, in general, more important than 

 those of any other State on the Gulf, and especially take precedence in 

 the yield of blue-fish, mullet, pompano, red snappers, Spanish mackerel, 

 and turtles. This is the only State in the country in -which the sponge 

 fishery is prosecuted. 



The length of the coast line of the west side of Florida, following 

 indentations, is about 2,810 miles. 



The principal indentations are Charlotte Harbor, Sarasota Bay, 

 Tampa Bay, Clearwater Bay, Wiccassassee Bay, Apalachee Bay, St. 

 George Sound, Apalachicola Bay, St. Andrew Bay, Choctawhatchee 

 Bay, Santa Eosa Sound, Escambia Bay, and Perdido Bay. The more 

 important rivers are the Caloosahatchee, Peace, Manatee, Withlacoo- 

 chee, Suwannee, Ocklocknee, Apalachicola, Choctawhatchee, Escambia, 

 and Perdido. 



The fishery centers are Key West, St. James City, Punta Gorda, St. 

 Petersburg, Tampa, Tarpon Springs, Ilomosassa, Cedar Key, St. Marks, 

 Carrabelle, Apalachicola, St. Andrew Bay, and Pensacola. 



In all respects except the amount of capital invested and the value 

 of the catch there has been an increase over the figures of the last 

 general canvass in 1890. 



The three following tables give, in condensed form, statistics of the 

 fisheries of the west coast of Florida. Information for all species was 

 not collected for the year 1897, and in some instances the figures obtained 

 for the year 1895 have been used. 



There were 1,231 men engaged in the vessel fisheries and in trans- 

 porting fishery products. There were 183 vessels, valued at $465,738, 

 including their outfits, used in transporting and in the fisheries. The 

 fishing vessels had $5,632 invested in apparatus. 



In the shore fisheries there were engaged 3,436 men. The boats 

 numbered 1,621 and were worth $130,548. The apparatus of capture 



was valued at 



,718. In the shore industries connected with the 



fishing business 344 persons were employed. The shore property and 

 cash capital amounted to $498,626. The total investment in the fish- 

 eries was $1,149,262. 



The total yield of the commercial fisheries was 28,255,219 pounds, 

 valued at $944,793. The three most valuable products were sponges, 

 valued at $305,589; mullet, worth $194,362; and red snappers, worth 



$171,234. 



Persons employed. 



How engaged. 



On vessels fishing 



On vessels transporting. 

 In shore or boat fisheries 

 Shoresmen 



Total 



Ko. 



1,169 



62 



3,436 



344 



5,011 



