The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1892-12-16
GULF COAST FISHERIES.

lne DClletln oil the Unlte0
States Fish Commission, relating
TO the fisheries OF the Gulf States
just received, gives an interesting
and encouraging report of the in.
dusiry that is carried on in these
States. Mississippi is the middle
member of the tier of five State;
having frontage on The Gulf Of
Mexico, her coast line of 215 mile:
in length is shorter than any Of
the other States except Alabama,
but as to value of the fishery pro.
ducts she ranks third, being sur
passed by Florida and Louisiana
In 1880 it occupied the fifth posi-
lion, and in the past ten years has
had a phenomenal increase, nc
other State in this region or in The
country has advanced in greater
relative ratio. The increase in the
number of persons engaged in the
fishing industry is S25.27 per cent
capital employed. 4,S39.S9 per
cent, and the value of products
has increased $4,000 per cent. The
fishery resources of the State, eS-
pecially The waters for oyster cul-
ture, are still capable of much
development, and every indication
is that the State will become one
of the most foremost in the matter
of oyster producing. Now the oy.
s.er constitutes two.thlr'ls the
quantity and value Of the entire
output of the State. OF the fish
proper, The sea.trout or squeteague
is the most valuable, although the
mullet is taken in large quantities.
Next in value the shrimp is great.
err than any other single species.
The prominent species taken are
the ange!-fish, black bass, blue
fish, Dream, buffalo, catfish, chan.
mel bass, croakers, drum, founder
mullet, pickerel, plnfish, pompano
sea bass, sheepshead, Spanish
m~ackerel, spots, trout, hard and
>ott crabs, shrimps and oysters
the total value OF these catches
amount to over s129,40 in Harri'
son county, 1925 III Jackson
and S!3,O41 it, Hancock /; the toia
number Of pounds in the three
counties in each year is over eigh
millions. The nationality Of tn,
persons employed is chiefly Am
erican, only Is persons in 1890 be
ing aliens. Of the Americans one
fifth are colored, who are chief,
employed on shore. Sixty.tw'
vessels were employed in 1896
the number of boats was 257. Han
ri>on county leads by more thai
two,thjrds in the fishery industry
owing to the extensive business Q
canning engaged in at Biloxi. Th
industry Of shipping raw oyster
and the wholesale trade IN fresI
and sailed fish increases yearly.
Taking the region Of the fv'
States as a whole, the mullet is tn
most prominent, though relativel,,
important on'y in Florida. Man,
highly esteemed lool.fshes oC
cur in the Gulf region in create
abundance than elsewhere on tn
coasts of the United States, and i
is a noteworthy fact tina, in recen
years this section has surpassed
both in extent and value the fish
cries OF the South Atlantic region
The undeveloped resources OF tn,
Gulf States invite outside atten
ton and afford a promising out
look for future increase. A dozel
or more lower Mississippi State
have their nearest coastal connec
tions through these five Gul
States and in response 10 the de
mand for our marine products b.
local and neighbonng market
will The Gulf fi>heries reach lhei
highest development.
Nix. PORTER B. HAND, of Hands
L.. II A... A..zAau Al.~~. ~