2017-2018 Texas Commercial Fishing Guide
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d Fishing Restrictions for Spawning Alligator Gar: When conditions such as water temperature and flooding
events would be conducive for spawning of alligator gar, the TPWD Executive Director may temporarily prohibit taking or attempting to take alligator gar in a specified area for a period not to exceed 30 days. Conditions that would be used to invoke this action include water temperatures between 68 to 82°F and occurrence
of moderate flood levels as defined and reported by U.S. Geological Survey gauges (see www.srh.noaa.gov/
wgrfc). Notice of this action will be posted on the TPWD website, distributed to print and broadcast media, and
shared through social media. The notice will specify the area to be closed and when lawful fishing for alligator
gar may resume. For current closure notices, visit tpwd.texas.gov/gar-closure
e In Falcon International Reservoir (Starr and Zapata counties), daily bag limit is 5, and possession limit is 10.
f May not take from public waters or possess on board a boat mullet over 12 inches during October,
November, December and January. No limits apply during other months.
g Special Regulation: The daily bag limit is one (1) fish for all allowable shark species INCLUDING Atlantic
sharpnose, blacktip and bonnethead.
h Prohibited shark species: Atlantic angel, Basking, Bigeye sand tiger, Bigeye sixgill, Bigeye thresher,
Bignose, Caribbean reef, Caribbean sharpnose, Dusky, Galapagos, Longfin mako, Narrowtooth, Night,
Sandbar, Sand tiger, Sevengill, Silky, Sixgill, Smalltail, Whale, White.
i Special Regulation: Red snapper may be taken using pole and line, but it is UNLAWFUL to use any kind
of hook other than a circle hook when using natural bait.
The possession limit does not apply to fish
in the possession of:
(1) a person who has an invoice or sales
ticket showing the name and address of the
seller, number of fish by species, date of the
sale, and other information required on a
sales ticket or an invoice.
(2) for all wildlife resources (including
fish) taken for personal consumption and
for which there is a possession limit, the possession limit shall not apply after the wildlife
resource has reached its final destination
and/or point of sale with required invoices.
It is UNLAWFUL for any person while
fishing on or in public waters to have in
possession fish in excess of the daily bag
limit or fish within a protected length limit
as established for those waters.
SHRIMP
GENERAL REGULATIONS
LICENSE REQUIRED
• Commercial Shrimp Boat Captain’s
License
• Commercial Shrimp Boat License
(Bay, Bait or Gulf)
(See Pages 6 and 13
for licensing details)
To legally sport fish from a licensed
commercial shrimp boat and to legally catch
and retain fish species prohibited from sale,
the commercial plates must be removed from
the boat. While no commercial plates are on
board, all sport fishing regulations apply
including licenses, size, bag and possession
limits. All commercial regulations apply
when the commercial plates are on board.
It is UNLAWFUL to:
• take or attempt to take shrimp within the
boundaries of any natural or man-made
pass leading from the inside waters to the
outside waters (Gulf of Mexico) of the state.
• use a trawl or fail to have the spreading
devices on deck and the trawl bag untied
at a time when shrimping is prohibited.
• possess a trawl that is too wide or has
small mesh in an area where the trawl
is prohibited. Such trawls may be possessed on vessels in port or in a marked
channel going directly to or from an area
in this state where the use of the trawl is
permitted.
• head shrimp aboard a boat in inside waters.
• possess a device designed to catch fish
or other aquatic life, including a shrimp
trawl, in or on the public waters of the
state where the use of the device is
prohibited.
• catch and retain fish species prohibited
from sale on a licensed commercial shrimp
boat while the commercial plates are on
board.
• retain a red drum, spotted seatrout or
lightning whelk on board a licensed
commercial shrimp boat if there is a
trawl on board the boat.
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27
d Fishing Restrictions for Spawning Alligator Gar: When conditions such as water temperature and flooding
events would be conducive for spawning of alligator gar, the TPWD Executive Director may temporarily prohibit taking or attempting to take alligator gar in a specified area for a period not to exceed 30 days. Conditions that would be used to invoke this action include water temperatures between 68 to 82°F and occurrence
of moderate flood levels as defined and reported by U.S. Geological Survey gauges (see www.srh.noaa.gov/
wgrfc). Notice of this action will be posted on the TPWD website, distributed to print and broadcast media, and
shared through social media. The notice will specify the area to be closed and when lawful fishing for alligator
gar may resume. For current closure notices, visit tpwd.texas.gov/gar-closure
e In Falcon International Reservoir (Starr and Zapata counties), daily bag limit is 5, and possession limit is 10.
f May not take from public waters or possess on board a boat mullet over 12 inches during October,
November, December and January. No limits apply during other months.
g Special Regulation: The daily bag limit is one (1) fish for all allowable shark species INCLUDING Atlantic
sharpnose, blacktip and bonnethead.
h Prohibited shark species: Atlantic angel, Basking, Bigeye sand tiger, Bigeye sixgill, Bigeye thresher,
Bignose, Caribbean reef, Caribbean sharpnose, Dusky, Galapagos, Longfin mako, Narrowtooth, Night,
Sandbar, Sand tiger, Sevengill, Silky, Sixgill, Smalltail, Whale, White.
i Special Regulation: Red snapper may be taken using pole and line, but it is UNLAWFUL to use any kind
of hook other than a circle hook when using natural bait.
The possession limit does not apply to fish
in the possession of:
(1) a person who has an invoice or sales
ticket showing the name and address of the
seller, number of fish by species, date of the
sale, and other information required on a
sales ticket or an invoice.
(2) for all wildlife resources (including
fish) taken for personal consumption and
for which there is a possession limit, the possession limit shall not apply after the wildlife
resource has reached its final destination
and/or point of sale with required invoices.
It is UNLAWFUL for any person while
fishing on or in public waters to have in
possession fish in excess of the daily bag
limit or fish within a protected length limit
as established for those waters.
SHRIMP
GENERAL REGULATIONS
LICENSE REQUIRED
• Commercial Shrimp Boat Captain’s
License
• Commercial Shrimp Boat License
(Bay, Bait or Gulf)
(See Pages 6 and 13
for licensing details)
To legally sport fish from a licensed
commercial shrimp boat and to legally catch
and retain fish species prohibited from sale,
the commercial plates must be removed from
the boat. While no commercial plates are on
board, all sport fishing regulations apply
including licenses, size, bag and possession
limits. All commercial regulations apply
when the commercial plates are on board.
It is UNLAWFUL to:
• take or attempt to take shrimp within the
boundaries of any natural or man-made
pass leading from the inside waters to the
outside waters (Gulf of Mexico) of the state.
• use a trawl or fail to have the spreading
devices on deck and the trawl bag untied
at a time when shrimping is prohibited.
• possess a trawl that is too wide or has
small mesh in an area where the trawl
is prohibited. Such trawls may be possessed on vessels in port or in a marked
channel going directly to or from an area
in this state where the use of the trawl is
permitted.
• head shrimp aboard a boat in inside waters.
• possess a device designed to catch fish
or other aquatic life, including a shrimp
trawl, in or on the public waters of the
state where the use of the device is
prohibited.
• catch and retain fish species prohibited
from sale on a licensed commercial shrimp
boat while the commercial plates are on
board.
• retain a red drum, spotted seatrout or
lightning whelk on board a licensed
commercial shrimp boat if there is a
trawl on board the boat.
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