THE COAST FISHERIES OF TEXAS. — 413 
The fisheries prosecuted.—In Corpus Christi Bay all the fish common 
to the bays along the Texas coast are found. In 1886, when Indianola 
was destroyed, many of the fishermen from that place came to Corpus 
Christi, and these, together with a large number of men who formerly 
fished at Point Isabel, are now plying their trade here. The total 
number of men engaged in the fishery industry of this bay in 1890 was 
reported to be 175, and the capital invested $44,530. The catch 
amounted to 1,238,550 pounds, for which the fishermen received $45,625. 
Only two of the fisheries prosecuted here have any commercial impor- 
tance; these are the bay-seine fishery and the oyster industry. Many 
green turtle are handled in the wholesale markets of Corpus Christi, 
but they are purchased of the fishermen hailing from Aransas Bay and 
Point Isabel. Shrimp are found to a limited extent, but no fishery 
has been established for taking them. Crabs and a few flounders are 
taken by boys and wharf-idlers for local consumption. 
The bay-seine fishery.—tIn 1890 there were engaged in the seine 
fishery at Corpus Christi 70 men, using 16 sailboats valued at $5,200, 
and seines, skiffs, and live-fish cars to the value of $2,820. The catch 
amounted to 719,950 pounds, for which the fishermen received $24,965, 
This fishery is gradually increasing in extent at Corpus Christi. The 
sail craft employed are somewhat larger than those used in the other 
bays of Texas. The market men report that redfish are growing 
scarcer and that sheepshead are rather more plentiful than formerly. 
The price received by the fishermen for their catch has been for the 
past several years about 34 cents per pound for the ordinary fish. 
Hand-line and other fisheries.—Many redfish, trout, jewfish, ete., are 
taken by means of hand lines by the Corpus Christi fishermen and 
sportsmen, and occasionally a visit is made to the red-snapper banks 
off Aransas Pass. The hook-and-line fishery does not, however, have 
any commercial rank. The total quantity of fish taken in this manner 
is about 25,000 pounds annually. These would sell in the markets for 
about $1,000. 
A large number of cast nets are used by boys and others for fishing 
off the wharves and along the shores. The catch, which consists of 
mullet, trout, ete., amounts to about 20,000 pounds annually. 
Spears are in use to a small extent in the shallow waters, for the 
purpose of obtaining flounders, the annual catch amounting to about 
4,000 pounds. 
Crab fishery.—As at other points along the Texas coast, crabs are 
abundant in Corpus Christi Bay. There is, however, little demand for 
them in the markets, and even this is entirely for local consumption ; 
hence no one engages in taking them to so great an extent as to de- 
pend onit for aliving. The crabs are taken by means of dip nets, 
baited lines, ete. The catch is mostly peddled about the city and sells 
at 15 to 30 cents per dozen. 
