2017-2018 Texas Commercial Fishing Guide
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OFFSHORE AQUACULTURE REGULATIONS
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
adopted rules that prescribe the procedures
and conditions for operating an offshore
aquaculture facility in Texas waters, and
implement the department’s responsibilities
under Agriculture Code, Chapter 134 by providing protection for marine resources in the
wild, including endangered species. TPWD’s
responsibility is to protect the health and
viability of native populations of fish, shellfish,
and aquatic life in state waters, including
endangered species. In general, the new rules
prescribe the conditions under which marine
species may be introduced into an offshore
aquaculture facility without damaging surrounding water and marine resources.
The regulation of offshore aquaculture
involves both state and federal jurisdictions. With respect to state agencies, the
Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) is
the primary agency responsible for regulating aquaculture, the Texas Commission on
Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has primary
responsibility for establishing and enforcing
water quality standards, the Texas General
Land Office (GLO) is responsible for managing
state-owned submerged lands, the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) is responsible
for management of animal disease necessary
to protect agriculture, and the Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS) is the
primary agency for protecting human health
and safety, including seafood safety. The
United States Army Corps of Engineers (COE)
and the United States Coast Guard (USCG) are
responsible for establishing maritime navigation standards and the identification, marking,
and mitigation of navigational hazards.
The intent of this rulemaking is that individuals applying to the various agencies for their
necessary permissions be able to do so simultaneously so that the many needed reviews,
inspections and other activities can be accomplished in the minimum amount of time. However, the rule also specifies that all of these
other permissions be obtained before the permit is approved by TPWD. For more information, call Robert Adami at (361) 939-7784.
GENERAL REGULATIONS
These rules also apply to fish, shrimp, crabs
or other aquatic life caught in the Exclusive
Economic Zone and landed in Texas.
Texas residents 17 years of age or older while
fishing, hunting or trapping MUST have on
their person a driver’s license or personal
identification certificate issued by the Department of Public Safety. Non-residents must
have similar documents issued by the agency
of the state or country of which the person is
a resident that is authorized to issue driver’s
licenses or personal identification certificates.
Waste of Fish – It is unlawful to leave edible
fish or bait fish taken from the public waters
of the state to die without the intent to
retain the fish for consumption or bait.
RULES REQUIRING DRAINING
OF WATER FROM VESSELS
AND HOLDING TANKS USED
ON PUBLIC FRESH WATERS
Persons leaving or approaching public fresh
water are required to drain all water from their
vessels and on-board receptacles (includes
live wells, bilges, motors and any other receptacles or water-intake systems coming into
contact with public waters). This rule applies
at all sites where boats can be launched and
includes all types and sizes of boats whether
powered or not, personal watercraft, sailboats,
kayaks/canoes, or any other vessel used to
travel on public waters.
• Live fish, including personally caught live
bait, cannot be transported in or aboard a
vessel in water that comes from the water
body where the fish were caught. Personally caught live bait can be used in the
water body where it was caught.
• Transport and use of commercially
purchased live bait in water while fishing
from a vessel is allowed, provided persons
in possession of the bait have a receipt
that identifies the source of the bait. Any
live bait purchased from a location on or
adjacent to a public water body that is
transported in water from that water body
can only be used as bait on that same
water body.
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3
OFFSHORE AQUACULTURE REGULATIONS
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
adopted rules that prescribe the procedures
and conditions for operating an offshore
aquaculture facility in Texas waters, and
implement the department’s responsibilities
under Agriculture Code, Chapter 134 by providing protection for marine resources in the
wild, including endangered species. TPWD’s
responsibility is to protect the health and
viability of native populations of fish, shellfish,
and aquatic life in state waters, including
endangered species. In general, the new rules
prescribe the conditions under which marine
species may be introduced into an offshore
aquaculture facility without damaging surrounding water and marine resources.
The regulation of offshore aquaculture
involves both state and federal jurisdictions. With respect to state agencies, the
Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) is
the primary agency responsible for regulating aquaculture, the Texas Commission on
Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has primary
responsibility for establishing and enforcing
water quality standards, the Texas General
Land Office (GLO) is responsible for managing
state-owned submerged lands, the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) is responsible
for management of animal disease necessary
to protect agriculture, and the Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS) is the
primary agency for protecting human health
and safety, including seafood safety. The
United States Army Corps of Engineers (COE)
and the United States Coast Guard (USCG) are
responsible for establishing maritime navigation standards and the identification, marking,
and mitigation of navigational hazards.
The intent of this rulemaking is that individuals applying to the various agencies for their
necessary permissions be able to do so simultaneously so that the many needed reviews,
inspections and other activities can be accomplished in the minimum amount of time. However, the rule also specifies that all of these
other permissions be obtained before the permit is approved by TPWD. For more information, call Robert Adami at (361) 939-7784.
GENERAL REGULATIONS
These rules also apply to fish, shrimp, crabs
or other aquatic life caught in the Exclusive
Economic Zone and landed in Texas.
Texas residents 17 years of age or older while
fishing, hunting or trapping MUST have on
their person a driver’s license or personal
identification certificate issued by the Department of Public Safety. Non-residents must
have similar documents issued by the agency
of the state or country of which the person is
a resident that is authorized to issue driver’s
licenses or personal identification certificates.
Waste of Fish – It is unlawful to leave edible
fish or bait fish taken from the public waters
of the state to die without the intent to
retain the fish for consumption or bait.
RULES REQUIRING DRAINING
OF WATER FROM VESSELS
AND HOLDING TANKS USED
ON PUBLIC FRESH WATERS
Persons leaving or approaching public fresh
water are required to drain all water from their
vessels and on-board receptacles (includes
live wells, bilges, motors and any other receptacles or water-intake systems coming into
contact with public waters). This rule applies
at all sites where boats can be launched and
includes all types and sizes of boats whether
powered or not, personal watercraft, sailboats,
kayaks/canoes, or any other vessel used to
travel on public waters.
• Live fish, including personally caught live
bait, cannot be transported in or aboard a
vessel in water that comes from the water
body where the fish were caught. Personally caught live bait can be used in the
water body where it was caught.
• Transport and use of commercially
purchased live bait in water while fishing
from a vessel is allowed, provided persons
in possession of the bait have a receipt
that identifies the source of the bait. Any
live bait purchased from a location on or
adjacent to a public water body that is
transported in water from that water body
can only be used as bait on that same
water body.
224