12
2017-2018 Texas Commercial Fishing Guide
LICENSE REQUIREMENTS
License requirements and fees are subject to change. (License fees are not refundable.)
RECREATIONAL LICENSE
REQUIREMENTS FOR
COMMERCIAL FISHERMEN
A commercial fisherman must purchase a
recreational fishing license, either resident or
non-resident, and appropriate fresh or saltwater endorsement to fish for recreational
purposes. NOTE: commercial plates must be
removed from any commercial vessel while
being used for recreational purposes.
When fishing under a recreational sport
license recreational size, bag and possession
limits apply, and no aquatic species taken
under a recreational license may be sold.
SHRIMP, CRAB, FINFISH AND
OYSTER LICENSE MANAGEMENT
A moratorium on the sale of licenses or a
license management program (limited entry)
has been in effect for the Texas bay and bait
shrimp fishery since 1996, the crab fishery
since 1998, the saltwater finfish fishery since
2000 and both the gulf shrimp and oyster
fisheries since 2005. To retain eligibility
in each of these fisheries, purchase of the
previous year’s license is required. A license
buyback provision is in place for bay and bait
shrimp boat, crab and finfish commercial
licenses, but not for gulf shrimp boat or
oyster boat licenses.
For further information regarding any
limited entry requirements, license buybacks
or other provisions of the program contact:
Zack Thomas, Texas Parks and Wildlife
Dept., Coastal Fisheries Division, 4200 Smith
School Road, Austin TX 78744, (512) 3898448, email: zack.thomas@tpwd.texas.gov.
GENERAL LICENSES
General Commercial Fisherman’s
Resident (Type 372) ...............................$26
Non-resident (Type 340)..................... $189
Required for any person who:
• catches aquatic products from the
waters of this state for pay or for the
purpose of sale, barter or exchange or
any other commercial purpose; or
• unloads in this state aquatic products
that were taken from water outside
this state and have not been previously
unloaded in another state or a foreign
country, for pay or for the purpose of
sale, barter or exchange or any other
commercial purpose.
• a non-resident who is residing in a state
that denies the privilege of commercial
fishing in that state to a Texas resident
because of residency status is not
eligible for a non-resident general
commercial fisherman’s license.
Exceptions:
• a person who holds a commercial
shrimp boat captain’s license, commercial oyster boat captain’s license,
a bait dealer’s license and catching
bait only, commercial crab fisherman’s
license, commercial finfish fisherman’s
license, Class A and Class B menhaden
boat license, or the crew of a licensed
commercial shrimp boat is not required
to obtain a general commercial fisherman’s license.
Commercial Finfish Fisherman’s
Resident (Type 371) ............................. $360
Non-resident (Type 361) .................. $1,440
This is a limited entry license. (See Page 12 —
SHRIMP, CRAB, FINFISH AND OYSTER
LICENSE MANAGEMENT.)
Required for any person who takes finfish
for commercial purposes from the coastal
waters of this state.
• Finfish Fisherman: defined as a person
who catches finfish from the coastal
waters of this state for the purpose of
sale, barter, exchange or any other
commercial purpose.
• Finfish: defined as those living resources
having either cartilaginous or bony skeletons (Chondrichthyes and Osteichthyes).
Exceptions:
• A person who is licensed as a bait
dealer and who takes finfish for bait
only is not required to obtain a commercial finfish fisherman’s license.
• A person who is in a vessel licensed as a
menhaden boat and who takes menhaden is not required to obtain a commercial finfish fisherman’s license.
233
2017-2018 Texas Commercial Fishing Guide
LICENSE REQUIREMENTS
License requirements and fees are subject to change. (License fees are not refundable.)
RECREATIONAL LICENSE
REQUIREMENTS FOR
COMMERCIAL FISHERMEN
A commercial fisherman must purchase a
recreational fishing license, either resident or
non-resident, and appropriate fresh or saltwater endorsement to fish for recreational
purposes. NOTE: commercial plates must be
removed from any commercial vessel while
being used for recreational purposes.
When fishing under a recreational sport
license recreational size, bag and possession
limits apply, and no aquatic species taken
under a recreational license may be sold.
SHRIMP, CRAB, FINFISH AND
OYSTER LICENSE MANAGEMENT
A moratorium on the sale of licenses or a
license management program (limited entry)
has been in effect for the Texas bay and bait
shrimp fishery since 1996, the crab fishery
since 1998, the saltwater finfish fishery since
2000 and both the gulf shrimp and oyster
fisheries since 2005. To retain eligibility
in each of these fisheries, purchase of the
previous year’s license is required. A license
buyback provision is in place for bay and bait
shrimp boat, crab and finfish commercial
licenses, but not for gulf shrimp boat or
oyster boat licenses.
For further information regarding any
limited entry requirements, license buybacks
or other provisions of the program contact:
Zack Thomas, Texas Parks and Wildlife
Dept., Coastal Fisheries Division, 4200 Smith
School Road, Austin TX 78744, (512) 3898448, email: zack.thomas@tpwd.texas.gov.
GENERAL LICENSES
General Commercial Fisherman’s
Resident (Type 372) ...............................$26
Non-resident (Type 340)..................... $189
Required for any person who:
• catches aquatic products from the
waters of this state for pay or for the
purpose of sale, barter or exchange or
any other commercial purpose; or
• unloads in this state aquatic products
that were taken from water outside
this state and have not been previously
unloaded in another state or a foreign
country, for pay or for the purpose of
sale, barter or exchange or any other
commercial purpose.
• a non-resident who is residing in a state
that denies the privilege of commercial
fishing in that state to a Texas resident
because of residency status is not
eligible for a non-resident general
commercial fisherman’s license.
Exceptions:
• a person who holds a commercial
shrimp boat captain’s license, commercial oyster boat captain’s license,
a bait dealer’s license and catching
bait only, commercial crab fisherman’s
license, commercial finfish fisherman’s
license, Class A and Class B menhaden
boat license, or the crew of a licensed
commercial shrimp boat is not required
to obtain a general commercial fisherman’s license.
Commercial Finfish Fisherman’s
Resident (Type 371) ............................. $360
Non-resident (Type 361) .................. $1,440
This is a limited entry license. (See Page 12 —
SHRIMP, CRAB, FINFISH AND OYSTER
LICENSE MANAGEMENT.)
Required for any person who takes finfish
for commercial purposes from the coastal
waters of this state.
• Finfish Fisherman: defined as a person
who catches finfish from the coastal
waters of this state for the purpose of
sale, barter, exchange or any other
commercial purpose.
• Finfish: defined as those living resources
having either cartilaginous or bony skeletons (Chondrichthyes and Osteichthyes).
Exceptions:
• A person who is licensed as a bait
dealer and who takes finfish for bait
only is not required to obtain a commercial finfish fisherman’s license.
• A person who is in a vessel licensed as a
menhaden boat and who takes menhaden is not required to obtain a commercial finfish fisherman’s license.
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