The St. Lucie County tribune. (Fort Pierce, St. Lucie County, Fla.) 1905-1920, 1910-04-01
FISHING 0NTHE
F|0RIDACOAST
Interesting Facts and Figures
Gathered by Fishing Gazette
EXTENT OF INDUSTRY
Number of Craft Engaged IN Business -
Value OF Last Years Catch -MuIIet
The Most Valuable

with littoral of over 5000 miles,
washed by the Atlantic ocean and the
Gulf of Mexico, redundant in every
form of marine life. the peninsula Of
Florida would indeed fail in her part if
she did not contribute a full quota to
the maritime products of our country.
There are many persons, however, who
do not realize the great scope of the
fishing industry of this State. A brief
glance at the latest fisheries report
from Florida will enable one to obtain a
better idea of the present status Of the
business" says the Fishing Gazette.
"There are 10, 600 men engaged stead
lily in this occupation in the State, be-
sides few thousand more who, from
their little freehOlds near the coasts,
fish in between crops, which means
while the pOtotoes. corn. cane and
oranges are ripening in the luXuriant
sun and soil. Following the general
rule of computation in such cases, you
will deduce that probably a hundred
thousand people here gain their subsis-
tence wholly or in large measure from
the teeming waters.
"Of these fisher-peOple. the mullet-
men with their families are by far the
most numerous, and, in themselves,
they deserve the most attention, al
though the sponge-fshers, because of
the quaintness of their occupation and
the peculiar nature of their marine har-
vests, are looked on as the most inter-
esring tis.Aermen class on this continent.
"Of the craft engaged in fishing off
the Florida coast, only about four
hundred larger vessels are shown some
thing like half of these being sponging
craft; but. to swell the total, you must
take account of almost six thousand
small boats, valued at more than half
million dollars. The diving apparatus
of the spongers, although so lately in
trOduced here, with the invasion of the
Greek divers two years ago, already
fOOts up total valuation of more than
hundred thousand dollars. And this
apart from the boats, as well as shore
and accessory property. The sponge
marketed from our waters last year
sold for $544, $50, close second to the
mullet harvest, which brought Florida
1852. 030. Red snapper comes next to
these IN value, being cash returns of
$434, $50, with shad ranking fourth of
our marine products, selling last year
for $3l9,S00.
1.-THE oyster business of Florida is al
so considerable, and, contrary to the
prevalent notion If the bivalve in semi
tropical waters, il brings fine monetary
returns. Last year the oysters of the
peninsula waters sold for something
over a quarter of million dollars,
making it evident that it would pay
we'll to cultivate and harvest this tooth.
some crop with more assiduity.
"Of other fish that always find ready
market, trout, Spanish mackerel, POM
PIANO, bluehsh, bass, sheephead. group
ers, catfish, Dream, all brought hand.
some returns to the tisher-folks of the
peninsula, each adding its quota to the
grand total of three and half million
dollars for last years's catch
Among the final items of interest
we note that turtle and tarrapin were
caught from our waters to the amount
of 1873, 700 pounds, selling for $22, ITO,
while the alligator hides shipped to mar
ket numbered $4,000, bringing smaller
returns than you might expect, $iS, 23O.
which was less than 81 per pelt.