54 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
Sea- weeds of the second class, whose collection is permitted all the 
year, comprise the bulk of what is taken. All three classes are gener- 
ally employed in fertilizing the land and makin g chemical products. 
Moreover, there is a kind of sea-weed, common in the bay of Granville 
and called zostera or pailleule which is eagerly sought for making dif- 
ferent kinds of bedding, and sells at the rate of 150 to 170 francs per 
cubic meter [82 to 93 cents per cubic foot]. The value of the total 
amounts of sea- weed collected in 1885 was 5,495,052 francs [$1,060,545], 
which was 302,453 francs [$58,374] less than in 1884. 
ALGERIA. 
General . — During 1885 there were engaged in the fisheries on the 
Algerian coast 1,047 boats, with a total capacity of 3,999 tons, manned 
by 4,495 men. These figures, as compared with those <^f 1884, show for 
1885 a decrease of 13 boats, with an increase of 411 tons and 31 men. 
Fishing from the shore is but little practiced in Algeria. 
The value in silver of the products obtained reached the sum of 
4,101,380 francs [$791,566], and shows an increase of 343,990 francs 
[$66,390] over that of 1884, which increase arises largely from greater 
returns from the coral fishery and from those indicated by “ other fish.” 
The products of the fisheries for mackerel, bonitos, tunnies, anchovies, 
and the different kinds designated as “other fish,” amounted in 1885 to 
4,216,512 kilograms [9,295,723 pounds], against 4,039,985 kilograms 
[8,906,551 pounds] in 1884, showing an increase in 1885 of 176,527 kilo- 
grams [389,172 pounds]. There was also an increase in 1885 of 28,292,394 
allaches , 4,372 kilograms [9,639 pounds] of shrimps, and 254 hectoliters 
[718 bushels] of other shell-fish ; while there was a decrease of 10,942,111 
sardines, 36,120 oysters, 14 hectoliters [40 bushels] of mussels, and 6,205 
crustaceans (lobsters, &c.). More complete details are to be found in 
Table II appended. 
Coral fishery . — The coral beds which formerly existed in great num- 
bers on the coast of Algeria, especially in the waters of the old district 
of Calle, were worked almost exclusively by Italian fishermen, who carry 
off to their own country, at the end of the season, the produce of their 
work. These beds were protected only by the prohibition of fishing 
implements recognized as injurious ; but even this prohibition has re- 
mained a dead letter, as the means of surveillance at the disposal of the 
authorities were always insufficient. This state of things would soon 
result in the destruction of the coral beds, and it was to remedy this 
that the decree of November 22, 1883, was interposed to regulate the 
' coral fishery in Algeria and Tunis. 
Loss of life.— During 1885, 363 enrolled sailors on boats engaged in 
the fisheries on the coasts of France and Algeria have been drowned or 
lost at sea, leaving 212 widows and 416 orphans ; while during the pre- 
vious year 413 fishermen were lost. 
