THE COAST FISHERIES OF TEXAS. 405 



of steamers in 1SS6 it very considerable decreased in tlie years follow- 

 ing*. In 1890 the fisheries of this bay gave steady employment to 109 

 men and supported 30 others for a few weeks. The property invested 

 in the fisheries was valued at *B 18,190, The total weight of fishery 

 products amounted to 893,200 pounds, for which the fishermen received 

 $33,093. Of this amouiit $29,200 was obtained from the sale of oysters, 

 the taking of which constitutes by far tlie most important fishery in 

 the bay. The bay-seine fishery, although of little importance, ranks 

 second in extent among the fisheries of Matagorda Bay. A few cast 

 nets are used, and some hook-and-line fishing is done. 



The hay -seine fishery. — Seventeen men sailing from Port Lavaca en- 

 gaged in the bay-seine fishery in 1890. They used five sailboats, valued 

 at $1,050, and seines, skilfs, and live-fish cars to the value of $010. The 

 catch in that year amounted to 102,750 pounds, for which the fishermen 

 received $3,593. In 1889 an equal force was employed in this fishery, 

 and the catch amounted to 88,800 pounds, valued at $3,110. Tlie fishing- 

 grounds are situated in the shoal waters of Matagorda Bay and its 

 estuaries, and in the eastern part of Es]>iritu Santo Bay. Tlie catch is 

 landed at Port Lavaca, from which place it is distributed through- 

 out the State by the wholesale dealers. Every year .several crews of 

 seine fishermen from Galveston go to Matagorda Ray to fish, sendiTig 

 their catch home by the steamer Gumherhoid. The supply of fish is 

 much greater than the present market demands, and the fishermen are 

 frequently idle for several days at a time because the markets are over- 

 stocked. 



Cdst-nef, hool'-and-line, and of her fisheries. — About thirty cast nets are 

 used at times on the shores of Matagorda Bay by the regular seine and 

 oyster fishermen and by othei: i>ersons. The catch consists chiefly of 

 mullet, shrimp, and a few trout (squeteague), and amounts to abcmt 

 15,000 pounds annually, the usual price for which is 3 or 1 cents per 

 jiound. No commercial hook-and-line 'fishery has been estal)lished at 

 Matagorda Bay, yet about 10.000 pounds of various species of fish are 

 annually taken ])y sportsmen and others. These consist chiefly of red- 

 fish, trout, jewfish, etc., and the catch is almost entirely used for home 

 consumption. 



(Quantities of green turtle are taken in Matagorda Bay by the Aran- 

 sas Bay fishermen, but no one living in this section engages in fishing 

 foi' them. Shrimp also are found, but except the few taken in the cast 

 nets none are brought to the settlements. 



The oyster iuflusfry. — The finest oyster reefs in Texas are located in 

 Matagorda Bay. The total area of productive grounds in this bay at 

 inesent known to the fishermen a])proximates 45 square miles. There 

 are doubtless many beds which have not yet been discovered. The 

 best-known oyster-grounds are Tiger Island reef, Trespalacios reef, 

 Old Town grounds, and those in the extreme eastern section of the 

 bay, which are sometimes known as the Live Oak grounds. 



