42
2017-2018 Texas Commercial Fishing Guide
tion of the trap:
• the trap lid tie-down strap is secured
to the trap at one end by a simple
loop of untreated jute twine (comparable to Lehigh brand #530), sisal
twine (comparable to Lehigh brand
#390) or untreated steel wire with a
diameter of 20 gauge or smaller. The
trap lid must be secured so that when
the twine or wire degrades, the lid will
no longer be securely closed; or
• the trap contains at least one sidewall, not including the bottom panel,
with a rectangular opening no smaller
in either dimension than 3 inches by
6 inches. Any obstruction placed in
this opening may not be secured in
any manner EXCEPT it may be laced,
sewn, or otherwise obstructed by a
single length of untreated jute twine
(comparable to Lehigh brand #530),
sisal twine (comparable to Lehigh
brand #390) or untreated steel wire
with a diameter of 20 gauge or
smaller knotted only at each end and
not tied or looped more than once
around a single mesh bar. When the
twine or wire degrades, the opening
in the sidewall of the trap will no
longer be obstructed; or
• the obstruction may be loosely hinged
at the bottom of the opening by no
more than two untreated steel hog
rings and secured at the top of the
obstruction in no more than one place
by a single length of untreated jute
twine (comparable to Lehigh brand
#530), sisal twine (comparable to
Lehigh brand #390) or untreated steel
wire with a diameter of 20 gauge or
smaller. When the twine or wire
degrades, the obstruction will hinge
downward and the opening in the
sidewall of the trap will no longer be
obstructed.
• Placement and Location Restrictions:
• May not place a crab trap or portion
thereof closer than 100 feet from any
other crab trap, EXCEPT when traps are
secured to a pier or dock.
• May not fish a crab trap in public fresh
waters.
• May not fish a crab trap within 200
feet of a marked navigable channel in
Aransas County; and in the water area
of Aransas Bay within one-half mile of
a line from Hail Point on the Lamar
Peninsula, then direct to the eastern
end of Goose Island, then along the
southern shore of Goose Island, then
along the eastern shoreline of the Live
Oak Peninsula past the town of Fulton,
past Nine Mile Point, past the town of
Rockport to a point at the east end of
Talley Island including that part of
Copano Bay within 1,000 feet of the
causeway between Lamar Peninsula
and Live Oak Peninsula.
• NEW: May not possess or use ANY crab
traps in waters north and west of Highway 146 where it crosses the Houston
Ship Channel in Harris County.
• May not use or place more than three
crab traps in public waters of the San
Bernard River north of a line marked by
the boat access channel at Bernard Acres.
• Baiting Crab Traps: It is UNLAWFUL to use
any part of a game fish for bait, except
for processed catfish heads used as
crab-trap bait by a licensed crab fisherman,
provided the catfish is obtained from an
aquaculture facility permitted to operate
in the United States. A person who uses
catfish as bait under this subparagraph
shall, upon the request of a department
employee acting within the scope of
official duties, furnish appropriate authenticating documentation, such as a bill of
sale or receipt, to prove that the catfish
was obtained from a legal source.
Other Devices:
• Devices legally used for taking of fresh or
saltwater fish or shrimp may be used to
take crab if operated in places and at times
authorized by a proclamation of the Texas
Parks and Wildlife Commission or the Texas
Parks and Wildlife Department Code.
• See applicable pages in this guide to
determine authorized uses, places and
times for other legal devices.
ARANSAS NATIONAL WILDLIFE
REFUGE — SPECIAL REGULATIONS
Beginning March 1, 2009 the Aransas
National Wildlife Refuge began enforcing a
no commercial crabbing regulation within
refuge marshes. For more information
contact the Aransas National Wildlife
Refuge at (361) 286-3559.
263
2017-2018 Texas Commercial Fishing Guide
tion of the trap:
• the trap lid tie-down strap is secured
to the trap at one end by a simple
loop of untreated jute twine (comparable to Lehigh brand #530), sisal
twine (comparable to Lehigh brand
#390) or untreated steel wire with a
diameter of 20 gauge or smaller. The
trap lid must be secured so that when
the twine or wire degrades, the lid will
no longer be securely closed; or
• the trap contains at least one sidewall, not including the bottom panel,
with a rectangular opening no smaller
in either dimension than 3 inches by
6 inches. Any obstruction placed in
this opening may not be secured in
any manner EXCEPT it may be laced,
sewn, or otherwise obstructed by a
single length of untreated jute twine
(comparable to Lehigh brand #530),
sisal twine (comparable to Lehigh
brand #390) or untreated steel wire
with a diameter of 20 gauge or
smaller knotted only at each end and
not tied or looped more than once
around a single mesh bar. When the
twine or wire degrades, the opening
in the sidewall of the trap will no
longer be obstructed; or
• the obstruction may be loosely hinged
at the bottom of the opening by no
more than two untreated steel hog
rings and secured at the top of the
obstruction in no more than one place
by a single length of untreated jute
twine (comparable to Lehigh brand
#530), sisal twine (comparable to
Lehigh brand #390) or untreated steel
wire with a diameter of 20 gauge or
smaller. When the twine or wire
degrades, the obstruction will hinge
downward and the opening in the
sidewall of the trap will no longer be
obstructed.
• Placement and Location Restrictions:
• May not place a crab trap or portion
thereof closer than 100 feet from any
other crab trap, EXCEPT when traps are
secured to a pier or dock.
• May not fish a crab trap in public fresh
waters.
• May not fish a crab trap within 200
feet of a marked navigable channel in
Aransas County; and in the water area
of Aransas Bay within one-half mile of
a line from Hail Point on the Lamar
Peninsula, then direct to the eastern
end of Goose Island, then along the
southern shore of Goose Island, then
along the eastern shoreline of the Live
Oak Peninsula past the town of Fulton,
past Nine Mile Point, past the town of
Rockport to a point at the east end of
Talley Island including that part of
Copano Bay within 1,000 feet of the
causeway between Lamar Peninsula
and Live Oak Peninsula.
• NEW: May not possess or use ANY crab
traps in waters north and west of Highway 146 where it crosses the Houston
Ship Channel in Harris County.
• May not use or place more than three
crab traps in public waters of the San
Bernard River north of a line marked by
the boat access channel at Bernard Acres.
• Baiting Crab Traps: It is UNLAWFUL to use
any part of a game fish for bait, except
for processed catfish heads used as
crab-trap bait by a licensed crab fisherman,
provided the catfish is obtained from an
aquaculture facility permitted to operate
in the United States. A person who uses
catfish as bait under this subparagraph
shall, upon the request of a department
employee acting within the scope of
official duties, furnish appropriate authenticating documentation, such as a bill of
sale or receipt, to prove that the catfish
was obtained from a legal source.
Other Devices:
• Devices legally used for taking of fresh or
saltwater fish or shrimp may be used to
take crab if operated in places and at times
authorized by a proclamation of the Texas
Parks and Wildlife Commission or the Texas
Parks and Wildlife Department Code.
• See applicable pages in this guide to
determine authorized uses, places and
times for other legal devices.
ARANSAS NATIONAL WILDLIFE
REFUGE — SPECIAL REGULATIONS
Beginning March 1, 2009 the Aransas
National Wildlife Refuge began enforcing a
no commercial crabbing regulation within
refuge marshes. For more information
contact the Aransas National Wildlife
Refuge at (361) 286-3559.
263