Yes there "was" a nylon sock on the end of the suction tubing. The sock filter protected the "valves" within the fuel pump from damage caused by debris floating around in the bottom of the fuel tank. The sock becomes brittle with age and crumbles apart easily. There's no replacement.
Blow some air backwards from the fuel pump suction, down the suction line back towards the fuel tank, which will eliminate whatever remains of the nylon sock within the fuel tank, at the end of the metal suction tubing. Replace the functionality of the sock with a 100 micron cannister filter external to the fuel tank, but ahead of the fuel pump. This will protect the fuel pump the same as the sock was originally intended to do.
