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BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
The method of handling fish at Key West is unique, and calculated to conserve 
the fisheries of that region to the fullest extent. Practically all of the fishing is 
done with hook and line, and every fishing boat has a well into which the fish are 
placed. All salable fish are brought to market in the wells of the vessels and kept 
alive until sold. The prospective purchaser visits the fish wharf, selects from some 
one of the boats the fish he desires, and it is then killed and dressed by the fisher- 
man. This excellent method insures perfectly fresh fish to the purchaser, and few 
or no fish are lost or wasted. 
There is no other place in the United States where one can study live fishes so 
satisfactorily as at Key West. Fishing boats are lying at the fish wharf at all times 
and in their wells may be seen specimens of numerous species, many of them of 
brilliant coloration ; and by going out with the fishermen upon the bars and coral 
reefs one may, by the aid of a water glass, spend many hours observing and studying 
a multitude of fishes and other interesting forms as they disport themselves in the 
clear waters beneath the boat. 
FOOD-FISHES OF FLORIDA. 
While the waters in the vicinity of Key West are wonderfully rich in species of 
fishes used as food, not all the food- fishes of Florida are found there. The shad does 
not occur there; neither does the black bass nor any of the fresh-water species; nor 
do we find there, except possibly as stragglers, the spotted sea trout, the red drum, 
spot, whiting, pompon, flasher, and perhaps still other species known from Indian 
River. Additional species are known from Pensacola which do not occur at Key 
West. The total number of different species of food-fish now known to occur in 
the waters of Florida is approximately 140, divided among 36 different families, as 
follows : 
Acipenseridce (Sturgeon) 1 
Siluridw (Catfishes) 4 
Catostomidce (Suckers) 2 
Cyprinidce (Minnows) 1 
Anguillidce (Eels) 1 
Elopidce (Tarpons) 2 
Albulidce (Lady-fishes) 1 
ClupeidcE (Herrings) 8 
Luciidce (Pikes) 2 
Esocidw (Needle-fishes) 2 
Hemiramphidce (Balaos) 4 
Mugilidai (Mullets) 4 
Sphyramidai (Barracudas) 2 
Polynemidw (Threadfins) 1 
Holocentridw (Squirrel-fishes) 1 
Scombridm (Mackerels) 4 
Trioliiuridce (Cutlas-fishes) 1 
Carangidce 14 
Pomatomidoj (Bluefish) 1 
Centrarchidce (Sunfishes and Black Bass).. 10 
Centropomidce (Robalos) 1 
Serranidce (Sea Bass) 10 
Lobotidce (Triple-tails) 1 
Lutianidce (Snappers) 8 
Pfaimulidai (Grunts) 12 
Sparidw (Porgies) 12 
Gerridce (Moj arras) 4 
Kyphosidce (Rudder-fishes) 1 
Scicunidw (Croakers) 11 
Labridai (Wrasse-fishes) 1 
Scciridai (Parrot-fishes) •. 2 
EpMppidce (Angel-fishes) 1 
Chwtodontidai (Butterfly-fishes) 3 
Teutldididw (Tangs) 3 
Scorpcenidce (Rockfishes) 1 
Pleuronectidce 4 
This large number represents about one-twentieth of the entire fish fauna of 
America north of the equator. 
The value to the State of these commercial fishes will doubtless be set forth in 
other papers to be presented at this Congress, and need not be dwelt upon here. 
Suffice to say that the money value of the annual fish output of the State is, in rouud 
numbers, not less than $1,000,000. 
