400 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
The buy-seine fishery.—In 1890 there were 165 men employed in the 
bay-seine fishery. They used 60 seines valued at $7,550, 58 sail craft 
worth $19,690, and skiffs and life cars to the value of "83, 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 
seines were owned and fished here chiefly by the truck farmers, who 
sold their produce in Galveston. No boats are used in this fishery, and 
the 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 difference is that they are not quite so long, being only 50 to 60 
fathoms in length. The depth is from 44 to 6 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 (Cynoscion nothus), croakers, and large redfish, with a much 
smaller quantity of many other species. As these species are found 
in greater abundance in the bays, this fishery has not become very 
important. The fishermen, or in many instances their wives, take the 
catch to Galveston, where they sell it from 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 use. 
Spearing of flounders.—F lounders are taken from the waters of Galves- 
ton Bay at night by the method known as “jacking,” which is practiced 
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 hand and a spear in the other. 
When a flounder 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. 
The quantity of flounders taken annually in this manner in Galveston 
Bay is about 25,000 pounds, and the price received by the fishermen is 
about 6 cents per pound. There is always a good demand in the mar- 
kets for these fish. 
The cast-net fishery.—About ninety-five cast nets are operated by as 
many persons from the docks, ete., around Galveston. ‘These nets are 
worth on an average about $3.75 each, the value ranging from $2 to $8, 
according to the size, which varies fret 4 to 10 feet in diameter. The 
nets are used only at odd times by the wharf laborers and other 
persons when work is slack. The catch amounts to about 28,000 pounds 
annually and consists chiefly of mullet, with a small quantity of other 
fish and some shrimp. When not consumed at home the fish are 
generally peddled about the city by the fishermen, who receive on an 
average about 6.cents per pound for them. . 
