FISHERIES OF THE GULF STATES. 
103 
Statistics of the fisheries . — In 1890 there were 11,752 persons employed in the fish- 
eries of the Gulf States; the capital invested in the industry amounted to $2,978,292; 
the quantity of products taken was 69,075,534 pounds; and the original value of the 
yield was $2,438,675. In the number of persons engaged in connection with the fish- 
eries, Florida and Louisiana rank first, the former having 3,602 fishermen and 466 
shoresmen, and the latter 3,608 fishermen and 460 shoresmen, an aggregate in each 
State of 4,068. Among the three remaining States, Mississippi is considerably in the 
lead, although Texas is credited with more fishermen; 1,721 persons devoted atten- 
tion to the fisheries in Mississippi, of whom 690 were fishermen and 1,031 shoresmen, 
the number of the latter being actually and relatively larger than in any of the other 
States. Texas had 1,116 fishermen and 161 shoresmen, a total of 1,277; Alabama had 
509 fishermen and 109 shoresmen, or 618 all told. 
Florida takes precedence over the other States in the matter of investment, 
$1,369,294, or nearly half the sum devoted to the industry in the entire section, being- 
credited to that State, after which come Louisiana with $719,876, Mississippi with 
$434,710, Texas with $319,122, and Alabama with $135,290. The specially prominent 
feature of the investment in Florida is the considerable number of vessels of rela- 
tively large size and value; in Louisiana the fleet is almost as numerous as in Florida, 
but the craft are much smaller and less expensive. Louisiana leads Florida in the 
number of boats employed in the shore fisheries, but in the latter State the value of 
boats is very much greater. Considering the entire region, it is interesting to observe 
that $590,124 was invested in vessels and their outfits, $557,257 in boats, $134,764 in 
apparatus of capture, $676,647 in shore property, and $1,019,500 in working capital. 
The products of the fisheries are greater and more valuable in Florida than in any 
other Gulf State; 27,418,562 pounds of fish, mollusks, etc., worth $1,064,139, were taken 
in 1890. The most valuable objects of capture in the fisheries of this State are the 
sponges, which are not sought for in the other States of this region. After sponges 
come mullet, red snapper, poinpano, Spanish mackerel, and turtle, in the catch of which 
Florida takes the lead. Louisiana follows Florida with 20,789,203 pounds, valued at 
$660,134. Here the most important products are oysters, shrimp, catfish, and buffalo- 
fish, in the output of which the State takes precedence. Texas holds third rank with 
7,959,400 pounds, worth $313,832; oysters are the most valuable objects of fishery, 
though the output is less than in Louisiana or Mississippi. The next important species 
are squeteague or trout, channel bass or redfish, and sheepshead, in the catch of which 
Texas excels. Mississippi shows a larger quantity of fishery products than Texas, 
but their value is considerably less, the figures being 8,131,401 pounds, which sold for 
$245,699. More than half of this value represents oysters ; the other prominent prod- 
ucts are squeteague, shrimp, and redfish, which are relatively unimportant. The fish- 
ery products of Alabama in 1890 amounted to 4,776,968 pounds, worth $154,871, of 
which sum oysters constituted more than two-thirds. The only other important species 
are mullet and squeteague. 
In the four following tables statistics of the fisheries of the Gulf region in 1890 are 
given, the specification being by States. The first table relates to persons engaged, 
the second to the nationalities of the fishermen, the third to the capital invested, and 
the fourth to the products taken. 
