A414 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
The oyster industry.—The area of the natural oyster reefs in Corpus 
Christi Bay, at present known to the fishermen, is estimated at 13 
square miles. The beds are located principally near the shore between 
the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railroad bridge and Ingleside 
Cove. <A few small reefs lie directly off the piers at Corpus Christi, 
and about halfway between Corpus Christi and the mouth of Oso Creek 
there are others. At the entrance of Oso Creek into the bay and 
around Shamrock Point a few oysters have been obtained. But the 
two last-mentioned reefs are somewhat distant from the city and the 
water is deep and frequently rough, so that they are rarely fished on. 
On account of the great depth of water in Corpus Christi Bay, the 
condition of only such grounds as are located in the shoal waters near 
the shore are known to the fishermen. There seems to be no reason to 
doubt that many oyster reefs at present unknown exist in the deeper 
waters of this bay, as well as in the other bays along the coast. : 
Frequently spring freshets occur on the Nueces River, and the great 
quantities of fresh water emptied into the bay destroy many oysters. 
Occasionally these freshets bring down quantities of sand and mud, 
which cover the oyster beds and prove very destructive. 
In 1890 the number of men engaged in oystering from Corpus Christi 
Bay was 40. They used 13 sailboats, valued at $6,100, and skiffs and 
tongs to the value of $390. The ca sen of oysters amounted to 65,400 
bushels, for which the fishermen received $18,350. 
Prior to the season of 1890-91 no instruments other than tongs had 
been used for taking oysters in Corpus Christi Bay. During that sea- 
son, however, a Small dredge was used on the schooner C. Highland, 
16.36 tons measurement. This was the first attempt to utilize dredges 
in the taking of oysters in this State. The work done was completely 
satisfactory, and doubtless many more dredges, would have been 
employed during the following season had not the State legislature 
prohibited their further use. 
Fish and oyster markets.—There were two wholesale dealers at Carpe 
Christi in 1890, who handled nearly all the fish and oysters taken by 
the Corpus Christi fishermen; also many oysters obtained from Mata- 
gorda and Aransas bays. 
LAGUNA MADRE AND THE LOWER RIO GRANDE. 
Opening directly into Corpus Christi Bay, and extending southward 
a distance of 120 miles to Boca Chica, lies Laguna Madre, so called 
because of the numerous smaller lagoons or shallow bays extending 
inland that are tributary to it. Laguna Madre is from 2 to 13 miles 
wide, and covers an area of about 811 square miles. It is very shallow, 
averaging but little over 2 feet in depth, and in many places the ground 
is quite bare at low tide. It is not navigable except in limited areas. 
On account of the saltness of the water, few fish are found in Laguna 
Madre, except at the extreme lower end near Point Isabel, where the 
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