178 



U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



nearly every sort of fishing. The individual records for each fishing 

 center are lacking, but the figures for the State as a whole show a 

 great increase over the years preceding and following. 



1919-1922. — -In 1919 a sudden and general drop took place through- 

 out the entire fishing section, with the exception of Point Isabel. 

 Beginning in February, all of the pre-war regulations were reinstated, 

 breeding grounds were designated and closed to netting, and summer 

 seining was once more forbidden. Law enforcement at Point Isabel 

 was not very strict until the summer of 1922, but in September of 



14 



12 



S?S 4 



"- i/-) 3 



^5 2 



YEARS 1900 02 04 06 08 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 



Fig. 3. — Average boat catch, computed from total yield and the number of boats. (Data taken 

 from Texas State reports) 



that year the laws against summer seining were repealed. (For a 

 discussion of law enforcement at Point Isabel, see p. 194 of this report.) 



1923 and 1924- — While the laws closing certain waters as breeding 

 grounds for fish were still in force, summer seining was permitted. 



In these years a general tendency toward an increased catch was 

 indicated, although the catch at Point Isabel was subnormal. The 

 year 1924 showed an increase over 1923 in every locality except 

 Rockport and Matagorda. However, the 1923 catch at Rockport 

 was the greatest recorded for a single fishery in any year. Thus, a 

 direct connection between restrictive legislation and the yield of the 

 fisheries is strongly indicated. 



