400 KErORT Ol' CUMMliSSlONEli OF Fiyif AND_ FI^^IIEKIES. 



The hay-Ntiiio Jislicri/. — lii 18*J() tlicrc were 1(>5 men employed in tlic 

 bay-seine fishery. Tliey used GO seines valued at $7,550, 5S sail eral"t 

 worth $19,01)0, and skills and life cars to the value of $3,150. The 

 catch amounted to 1,418,500 pounds, for which the fishermen received 

 $72,999. Of the sail craft, only two measured over 5 tons, the combined 

 tonnage of these being 12.93 tons. 



The wagon or surf-seine fishery. — In 1890 twelve " wagon" or surf 

 vseiues were owned and fished here cliiefiy by tlie truck farmers, wlio 

 sold their produce in Galve8t^n. ]So bouts are used in this fishery, and 

 tlie catch is hauled to market in wagons; hence the name for this 

 fishery. The surf seines are made nearly similar to the bay seines; the 

 chief difi'erence is that they are not quite so long, being only 50 to GO 

 fathoms in length. The depth is from l^ to C feet, and the value is 

 about $80 each. They are hauled in the surf on the south side of the 

 island, and two men are required to each seine. The catch, which 

 amounts to about 40,000 pounds in each year, consists principally of 

 sand trout {Gynoscion nothus), croakers, and large redflsh, with a mu(;li 

 smaller quantity of many other species. As these siDccies are found 

 in greater abundance in the bays, this fishery has not become very 

 imiiortant. The fishermen, or in many instances their wives, take the 

 catch to Galveston, where they sell it Irom house to house about the 

 city. On account of the manner in which they are disposed of, these 

 fish usually return to the fishermen a higher price per pound than those 

 taken by the bay seines. Galveston Island is the only place in Texas 

 at which these seines were found in usp. 



kipearing of flounders. — Flounders are taken from the Avaters of Galves- 

 ton Bay at night by the method known as "jacking," which is ])racticed 

 all along the Atlantic coast. No one depends on this fishery, and it is 

 prosecuted only during the summer months. About 30 men around 

 Galveston Bay engage in it at times. The men go out in the shallow 

 water '' afoot," carrying a torch in one liand and a spear in the other. 

 When a llounder is discovered it is picked up by means of the spear 

 and placed in the bag or basket carried on the arm holding the tOrch. 

 Tlie quantity of fiounders taken annually in this manner in Galveston 

 Bay is about 25,000 pounds, aiul the i)rice received by the fishermen is 

 about C cents i)er pound. There is always a good demand in the mar- 

 kets for these fish. 



The castiKt fishery. — About ninety-five cast nets are operated by as 

 many persons from the docks, etc., around Galveston. These nets are 

 worth on an average about $3.75 each, the value ranging from $2 to $8, 

 according to the size, Avhich varies from 4 to 10 feet in diameter. The 

 nets are used only at odd times by the wharf laborers and other 

 persons when work is sla(;k. The catch amounts to about 28,000 pounds 

 annually and consists chielly of mullet, with a small quantity of other 

 fish and some shrimp. "When not consunu'd at home the fish are 

 generally peddled about the city by the jishermen, who receive on au 

 average about G cents per pound for them. 



