Corpusfishing.com

Clay · Joined: 09 Jul 2013 Posts: 3 Location: San Antonio

There is a proposal to add 80% more fishing hours and pressure by shrimpers to our bay systems, which in my opinion, would almost double the amount of bycatch created by the shrimpers. Personally I think this negates all of the effort of the license by-back program and reduction in bycatch that has been achieved since the 1990s. Please comment on this proposal at the TPWD website.

http://tpwd.texas.gov/business/feedback/public_comment/proposals/201503_shrimping.phtml

Shrimp Regulations
Proposal:
Extend the lawful shrimping hours during the spring season for bay, bait, and recreational shrimping until 30 minutes after sunset and increase the daily bag limit for bay shrimpers to 800 lbs. of shrimp per day.
Background:
Under current rule, the lawful shrimping hours for recreational and commercial shrimping during the Spring season in inside waters are from 30 minutes before sunrise until 2 p.m., and the daily bag limit is 200 lbs. for bait shrimping and 600 lbs. for bay shrimping. The department recently held several meetings with the shrimping community to discuss their concerns and listen to their suggestions related to current shrimp regulations. The two most frequently heard suggestions for the spring season were to extend shrimping hours and increase bag limits in inside waters. Department staff concurs that these changes can be implemented without posing risk to the shrimp fishery or bycatch species. Through the department

Blast-n-Cast · Full Grown Flour Bluffian Joined: 03 Dec 2007 Posts: 1142

ironmanstan · Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2015 4:03 am Post subject:

How many bay shrimpers are there now on the Texas coast as compared to back in the late 70's and 80's ? I don't know. Lets see how it works out they have families to feed and bills to pay like everyone else. The life of a shrimper is not an easy one.
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shallowsport · Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2015 7:26 am Post subject:

Always with a voice of reason, IMS, thanks.

lagunarat1975 · Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2015 7:29 am Post subject:

Shrimpers are hard working folks that need to make a living like everyone else .Far as the effect on fishing I think more people fishing and GPS
has more of an effect on fishing than letting the few shrimpers that are left make a living doing the only thing they know .I'll bet its a done deal anyway
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Jason Slocum · Flour Bluffian in training Joined: 22 Mar 2006 Posts: 328

lagunaroy · Pony Mullet Joined: 16 May 2010 Posts: 72

Done.

Takes less than 5 minutes, you gotta comment to have your voice heard.
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Rebecca of Sunnybrookfarm · Full Grown Flour Bluffian Joined: 01 May 2008 Posts: 3973

ironmanstan · Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2015 9:55 am Post subject:

greenhornet2 · Flour Bluffian in training Joined: 25 Jan 2009 Posts: 448

There is nothing positive for the ecosystem by increasing the amount of nets drug across it. Not in favor, to each their own.

mesquitecountry · Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2015 11:33 am Post subject:

Here is my comment. This is completely off base.

As a recreational fisherman that works on conservation, and has recently had our limits cut back to 5 trout per day, i dont see how increasing the shrimpers time and tonnage is beneficial to our ecosystem. This will have a dramatic effect on our ecosystem, which will continue to deplete our natural resources for all of us to share. It's simple math, increase the bait depletion, deplete the species that forage off that bait. This is counter intuitive to a lot of the work that recreational fisherman are doing to preserve our natural resources.

Rebecca of Sunnybrookfarm · Full Grown Flour Bluffian Joined: 01 May 2008 Posts: 3973

Rebecca of Sunnybrookfarm · Full Grown Flour Bluffian Joined: 01 May 2008 Posts: 3973

LOL! tyler, you're no fun....(admin edit on my last post)

I had some additional "comments" there that many of you would have found hilarious....there was at least 5 new signature quotes in there....pm me and I'll send them to you when I get a chance....

folks, the TPWD commented on this (Jason Slocum) and said it's not that big a deal....but go ahead, give your self a pat on the back for single-handedly saving the bays by negatively commenting on the proposal...

and I'll expect to see each and every one of you at the Big Shell Clean Up this weekend actually doing your part....
becky
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Tyler · Site Admin Joined: 06 Mar 2006 Posts: 12865

I think we've been taught to really hate "bycatch" so with more time to trawl one would think that would equal more bycatch. It was interesting to see that when fishing when the shrimp are really in it reduces bycatch.

Learned something new! Very Happy

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greenhornet2 · Flour Bluffian in training Joined: 25 Jan 2009 Posts: 448

Save the condescending tone there Becky, first off the extra shrimp harvested is just the tip of the iceberg and second just because you eat up everything TP&W puts out doesn't mean the rest of us have to. Let's get into the negative impacts a little deeper. Shrimp trawling disrupts the benthic zone of an ecosystem by design, no big deal? Think again, 98% of all ocean organisms reside in this zone and this is where you will find a large percent of the bay's aquatic plants. I'm sure since you are no "keyboard scientist" you understand that the plants make up a big portion of the producer trophic level for our bays. What happens when we lose plants/producers? Much less solar energy will be harnessed and converted to useable energy for aquatic life, oxygenation of the water decreases, habitat is lost, spawn is impacted, water is more prone to wind driven murkiness (could lead to more plant loss) and biodiversity WILL be decreased. Then there is the bycatch issue which is pretty obvious. Ask some Rockport anglers how they feel about the oyster harvesting and its impact on the fishery when you get a chance. So you vote/comment how you see fit and the rest of us who are interested in the health of the ecosystem will do the same.