THE COAST FISHERIES OF TEXAS. ~ 405 
of steamers in 1886 it very considerable decreased in the 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 $15,196. The total weight of fishery 
products amounted to 893,200 pounds, for which the fishermen received 
$33,693. Of this amount $29,200 was obtained from the sale of oysters, 
‘the taking of which constitutes by far the 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 bay-seine fishery. Seventeen men sailing from Port Lavaea en- 
gaged in the bay-seine fishery in 1890. They used five sailboats, valued 
at $1,650, and seines, skiffs, and live-fish cars to the value of $610. 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. The fishing- 
grounds are situated in the shoal waters of Matagorda Bay and its 
estuaries, and in the eastern part of Espiritu Santo Bay. The eatch 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 Bay to fish, sending 
their catch home by the steamer Cumberland. 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. 
Cast-net, hook-and-line, and other jfisheries.—A bout thirty cast nets are 
used at times on the shores of Matagorda Bay by the regular seine and 
oyster fishermen and by other persons. The catch consists chiefly of 
mullet, shrimp, and a few trout (squeteague), and amounts to about 
15,000 pounds annually, the usual price for which is 3 or 4 cents per 
pound. No commercial hook-and-line fishery has been established at 
Matagorda Bay, yet about 10,000 pounds of various species of fish are 
annually taken by sportsmen and others. These consist chiefly of red- 
fish, trout, jewfish, ete., 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 
for them. Shrimp also are found, but except the few taken in the cast 
nets none are brought to the settlements. 
The oyster industry.—The finest oyster reefs in Texas are located in 
Matagorda Bay. The total area of productive grounds in this bay at 
present known to the fishermen approximates 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, 
