Saltwater Anglers Asked To Share Attitudes About Fishing

Steve Lightfoot, 512-389-4701, steve.lightfoot@tpwd.texas.gov

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AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is responsible for understanding not only the biology of coastal fisheries systems, but also the social and economic impacts on the resource as well.

Texas’ saltwater angling community has been booming in recent years to the tune of about 2,000 new anglers a month.

TPWD regularly conducts surveys to get a feel for the pulse of the Texas saltwater angler. The information not only provides a snapshot of the Texas fisherman, which is useful in developing fisheries management strategies and regulations, but is also factored into a nationwide overview. Every five years, state survey findings are included in the U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the U. S. Bureau of the Census publication The Economic Importance of Hunting, Fishing, and Other Outdoor Activities.

In cooperation with Texas A&M University, Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, TPWD’s Coastal Fisheries Division is currently doing a Web-based survey to update its assessment and to gauge the opinions of Texas recreational fishermen about regulations and to estimate the economic benefits of recreational fishing to the Texas economy.