98 THE FISHERIES OF THE ADRIATIC, 



The remarks concerning the sponge fisheries apply equally in this 

 case ; the fishing gear is primitive, and improvements introduced elsewhere 

 have not been applied here ; divers are not employed, no close time is 

 observed, and no system prevails in respect of fishing over the same grounds 

 only after a given rotation of years, 1 — in one word, there is a total want of 

 economy in their practice. 3 



Note. — The number of distinct genera of fish and invertebrates, caught 

 on the Austro-Hungarian coast, attained to 123 in the year 1 877-1 878. 

 The different districts yielded each the following numbers, viz.: Trieste, 86; 

 Rovigno, 70; Pola, 73; Lussinpiccolo, 66; Hungarian-Croatian littoral, 62; 

 Zara, 66; Spalato, 101 ; Ragusa, 56; Megline, 38. These numbers 

 represent only those which have a marketable value, and similar species 

 of one and the same genus figure as one. 



1 For instance, in the Straits of Messina the waters are divided into ten allotments, only one 

 of which is allowed to be fished over each year. Consult on this subject " L'Industria del Corallo 

 in Torre del Greco," per Giov. Mazzei-Megale. Napoli : 1880. 



3 The Austrian coral fisheries are of little or no importance as compared -with the fisheries 

 of the Mediterranean. Thus the French fisheries employed, in 1855, 226 boats and 2,000 men, 

 and yielded 2,700,000 frs. The Italian fisheries are still more important ; thus, Torre del Greco, 

 renowned for its tunny fisheries, has always carried on important coral fisheries, in which, 100 

 years ago, 300 boats were engaged (in 1858, 330 boats). Elba and Leghorn have likewise over 

 50 boats engaged in the fisheries ; altogether some 900 to 1,000 boats, and 7,000 to 8,000 men 

 are employed, and the produce amounts to at least 1 2 million francs. 



