REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 155 
STURGEON FISHERY OF FLORIDA. 
The sturgeon fishery of Florida has never been of great importance, 
from the fact that while sturgeon are quite numerous in the bays and 
rivers of both the eastern and western parts of the State the supply 
has generally become exhausted after a few seasons in all localities 
where, in former years, the fishery has been prosecuted. 
In eastern Florida the catch of sturgeon in 1889 was 40,620 pounds, 
and in 1890 it was 28,055 pounds, but since that time none have been 
taken. The catch in Tampa Bay, on the western side of the State, 
during the winter of 1886 and 1887 was about 1,500 sturgeon, which 
yielded 5,000 pounds of caviar. The following season over 2,000 fish 
were secured and nearly 6,300 pounds of caviar prepared. The next 
season only 7 fish were taken and the fishery was then abandoned. 
Since 1895 there has been more or less sturgeon fishing in the Suwanee 
River, but it is reported that the fish are now becoming searce. The 
season during which sturgeon are taken in the Suwanee extends from 
February | to May 1, and the fishing is done with gill nets. In the 
Ocklockonee River sturgeon fishing was prosecuted successfully in 
1898 and 1899, but very few sturgeon have since been caught there. 
In the Apalachicola River sturgeon fishing began in 1899 and is still 
being carried on successfully, but whether the supply will become 
exhausted in three or four seasons, as has been the ease with some of 
the other rivers of this section, is a matter yet to be determined. 
Mr. J. N. Cobb has recently, in connection with other fishery inves- 
tigations, collected statistics respecting the sturgeon fishery in western 
Florida in 1900, There were 84 persons engaged in the industry, and 
the investment amounted to $8,157. The yield of sturgeon, at round 
weight, for the Suwanee River was 44,400 pounds; for the Ocklockonee 
River, 57,100 pounds, and for the Apalachicola River, 84,000 pounds. 
These rivers are the only ones where sturgeon are now taken. The 
total value of sturgeon products for western Florida was $12,901. 
In the following table, showing the extent of the sturgeon fishery of 
Florida in 1900, the round and dressed weights of the catch are given: 
Table showing by waters the number of persons and the amount of capital employed 
and the yield of the sturgeon fishery of Florida in 1900, 
Suwannee | Ocklockonee | Apalachicola 
River. River. River. Total 
Items. : | : : 
| No. | Value. | No. | Value.| No. |Value.| No. | Value. 
Persons employed .-..--..-------- | 18, |beeaqeeee 198 eee eee 17) see 84 |... -.--- 
Boats, BpEar Abus: etc.: | ie 
Stedmipoatsenca=. 34 52a eet | oa oe 1 | $2,000 | . 1 | $2,500 2) $4,500 
Row boats,ete’ 2222-22... sa2..- 8 | $1,290 10 290 | 20 400 38 1,980 
(Chil is ata ae See ee eee é 9 162 22 220 20 600 basta) L 982 
Shore property:-...-.-.-=.-----.- sue Ob wie see: See 400 |....-... 200) aaa 695 
tester eer ee oe eS ieee ae 2,910 |... ....| 3,700|.........| 8,157 
-—— — i = =F ae | — = aes = 
PRODUCTS. Lbs. | Value. Lbs. | Value. Lbs. | Value.) Lbs. | Value. 
Sturgeon (round weight) --..-..-] 44,400 |......_. SUALOON eee ee 22 84.000! seb22.c0 165,500 |....---- 
Sturgeon (dressed weight) __-- 22,200 | $2,664 | 19.350 | $2,322 40,000 | $4,800 | 81,550] $9, 786 
(Cavite wee eee ates fae ee ol 1 260 1,008 850 | 595 | 2,160 1,512 4, 27 Selip 
ARGV zl Seba s.2 a ee, eee ad (eae Oa sy | (ey oe | eee Ss ee 12,901 
* 4,930 yards. 
