FISHERIES OF THE GULF STATES. 



125 



The red-snapper fishery. — Pensacola is the center of this fishery, but it 

 is also prosecuted incidentally from Key West, Tampa, St. Petersburg, 

 and Cedar Key. The catch landed at Pensacola is greater than at all 

 other points in the United States combined. While there has been a 

 decrease since 1895 in the number of vessels engaged, the total catch 

 has increased, as well as the average catch per man and per vessel. 



Table showing the number of vessels, tonnage, and men employed in the red-snapper fishery . 



Catch of red snappers by vessels and by boats. 



Comparative summary of the Pensacola red-snapper catch. 



Year. 



Lbs. 



Average catch. 



Per vessel. Per man 



1880 



1884 



1889 



1890 



1895 



1897 (fiscal year) 



1, 450, 000 



2, 380, 800 



3, 554, 176 

 4, 144, 842 



4, 587, 715 

 4, 874, 687 



103, 571 

 95, 232 

 101, 548 

 121, 907 

 109,231 

 135, 408 



20, 423 

 17, 006 

 16, 304 

 19, 013 

 16, 385 

 20, 743 



The principal snapper banks of the Gulf lie between Mobile Bay and 

 Cedar Key. They are fished during the warmer months; the rest of 

 the time the vessels go to the Campeche Banks off the Yucatan coast. 

 There is no apparent diminution in the abundance of the fish on these 

 banks. Groupers are also taken in this fishery, being found on the 

 banks in company with the red snappers ; but the fishermen do not seek 

 them especially, as they bring a very low price. 



Several New Orleans vessels land their catch at Pensacola when they 

 are fishing in the eastern part of the Gulf, whence it is sent to their 

 home port. 



