Gilpin observer., 1911-08-31

opohge lie does not thrive in fresh water
VI the 1000 OF the sponges practically nothing is
nnowh' mat 1t is taken in through the canal
e,s.e,i anu mat 1t must be in finely divided
state Is practically certain but of what it consists
Is not known. They appear to have but few
natural enemies. The so-called roots" of
sponees perform no other purpose than that of
anchorage The rate of growth of the sponge
uhder natural. urdisturbed conditions is also a
matter of uncertainty. but it is estimated that
the average 6inch sponge is probably only four
years old
The industry in the Americas is most i'm
portant one. The fisheries as at present deyel
oped are almost entirely restricted to the Carib.
bean Sea and the Gulf Of Mexico with it's con.
tiguous waters. AS early 1922 the inhabitants
or Key West. Florida learned, from specimens
thrown up on the beaches. Of the presence of
several species of useful sponges For some time
they were In limited domestic use among the in.
habitants. but not until 1S49 a cargo sent
to New York. UP to this time the entire sponge
supply OF the United States derived from the
Mediterranean. though OF later years a few
sponges come from the Bahamas While sponge
fishing In the Americas is rather a modern in.
dustry. 1t produces more than twothrds of the
worlds supply In weight; but the fisheries of the
Mediterranean now produce about onehalf of the
worlds supply In value. An idea Of the number
of sponges produced by the fisheries Of the Amer
icas can perhaps best be grasped II It is realized
that last years crop of dry sponges weighed
100000 pounds; and as each pound is capable
that the total crop of the Americas could absorb
100000 gallons. Nor should the annual valua-
tion of this product be lost sight Of During the
last year there were produced In the Americas
sponges valued at $1.5OO.O0O The two places
where sponge fishing is best studied in the Amer.
fcas are at Tarpon Springs. Florida and at Bata-
bano. on the southern coast OF Cuba.
On the Florida coast there two wedefned
sponge regions. The Key grounds on the east,
consisting of chain OF keys starting from the
m nd in fhe shane
Of horn far into the Gulf of Mexico; and the
Bay grounds on the west. also extending into the
Gulf of Mexico. The Bay grounds, which for.
merly held secondary position commercially.
yield practically the entire production of
Florida sponges and by far the most prolific
in the Americas. The Atlantic side of these
gions is not adapted to the propagation OF this
animal because OF the depth and low tempera-
ture Of the waters and the frequent disturbances
Of hurricanes These valuable sponge grounds
have been overfshed in and out OF season to
such extent that congress found It necessary
TO enact a stringent law for the protection and
conservation OF this industry. This law prohibits
divers from working between the 1st Of May and
the LIST OF October In waters less than 80 feet
deep. and vessels OF the revenue cutter service
patrol the Florida waters today to see that this
law Is enforced While the sponging areas OF
Batahano. Cuba, and the Tarpon Springs. Flor
ida, are fgurativey within a stones throw OF
each other yet the methods Of gathering In this
tnteresting animal at these points are entirely
different.
In Florida the old method Of gathering the
sponge was to wade into the shallow waters and
pull up the growth by hand. Later the sponge
hook WAS introduced. This was twotned short
hook attached to a pole of moderate length; a
third tine was added to this implement after
white. with the Introduction OF the sponge hook
deeper water explored. The fisherman stand
Ing In his boat closely scanned the bottom OF the
wster for sponges. tearing them loose with the