t the turn of the century, Coastal Bend fishermen harvested approximately three million pounds of seafood from Aransas Bay, Corpus Christi Bay, and the upper Laguna Madre systems. Turtles and oysters, both rare finds now, made up one-third of the catch.

Sport and commercial fishing began in earnest around 1880; however, within seven years, Texas passed its first fishing regulations to conserve declining populations of tarpon and other gamefish.

As gamefish stocks became depleted, offshore brown and white shrimp soon dominated the seafood industry’s production base. In 1994, nearly nine million pounds of seafood was harvested from the three bay systems with shrimp comprising the bulk of the catch.

Commercial fisheries of the Coastal Bend play a critical role in boosting the local, state, and national economy. Texas ranks fourth nationwide in seafood production with a commercial harvest valued between $156 million and $247 million yearly. In weight and economic value, commercial seafood landings from the Coastal Bend place second in the state with an annual eight million pounds. Half the landings are shrimp, followed by blue crab, eastern oysters, and finfish.

Fishing for fun is also big business on the Texas coast. Recreational anglers spend more than $546 million locally each year on food, lodging, transportation, and fishing equipment. Direct and indirect expenditures associated with sport fishing generate almost $1 billion per year for the state.

Industry, defense, and tourism in the region contribute more than $3 billion annually to the United States' Gross Domestic Product. Petrochemical products, dry bulk, chemicals, and grain enable the Port of Corpus Christi to maintain its title as the sixth largest in the nation, and second in Texas for total tonnage. Port activities generated $4 million in local tax revenues in 1993.

Expansive rangelands in the south and large farms in the north also provide economic stability. Cattle account for more than 35 percent of agricultural activity, followed by sorghum, cotton, corn, wheat, and oats. Farming and ranching revenues in 1993 were $393 million at the local level with a statewide economic impact of $1.2 billion.

The military has been a solid means of support since the late 1930s. The Corpus Christi Army Depot, the main tenant of Naval Air Station - Corpus Christi, is the largest facility of its type in the world and with 3,050 people, the largest employer in South Texas. In 1992, Naval Station Ingleside became home to 27 mine countermeasure ships and is expected to support 5,000 employees by 1999. Naval Air Station Kingsville also makes its contribution to the economy by employing 1,850 employees.

Tourists are drawn to the Coastal Bend’s unusual character. The two-tiered City of Corpus Christi, with its majestic bluffs, crescent-shaped bay and teal-colored waters, attracts 2.8 million visitors each year. In 1994, visitors to Nueces County added $128 million directly to the local economy. New ecotourism opportunities, such as the Texas Coastal Birding Trail, are sure to attract even more visitors.

Fulton, Rockport and Port Aransas are also popular destinations for eager beachgoers, campers, bird watchers, windsurfers, and recreational fishermen. At Rockport alone, tourism generates between $5 - 6 million annually.