“PEOPLE ARE REALLY GOOD AT RECOGNIZING A PROBLEM AFTER IT IS TOO LATE”
This week, TPWD has made some changes to the trout fishing regulations and they have become controversial between anglers. If you are a saltwater angler on the Texas Coast then I am willing to bet that you know exactly what has occurred. I fully see both sides to the argument and can understand why some anglers are happy about the changes and others are downright mad.
When it comes to the changes there are 2 aspects to the new regulations.
One of them being a new size limit. The new regulation has a slot limit of 15”-20” with an angler able to keep one fish over 30”. I am 110% for this and honestly surprised they have waited this long to change it. I believe that it is going to be nothing but great for our fisheries and am truly excited to see this change.
The other regulation change that has occurred is in regards to the bag limit. Anglers can now only keep 3 trout and that is being implemented coast wide. This is the area that I do not agree with, especially when it comes to Sabine Lake.
My main concern is us being a border lake and sharing our resources with Louisiana. If you drive 1/4 mile over the bridge to La and launch from there, then you can keep 15 trout per person, per day. I am worried that with the new changes being made, more anglers will flock to our waters and launch on the other side strictly to fill up their coolers with fish—meat hauls if you will. The trout fishing on Sabine lake is the best it has been since Harvey; it is not what it was prior to the storm but it has made a strong comeback. I am aware that making the limit of 3 trout on the Texas side can help our fishery but that is only if you launch and abide by Texas laws. Once again, my concern is that more people will drive to our lake, specifically to the Louisiana side and keep more fish, making the bag limit change counterproductive. With all of that being said, I hope I am wrong.
When you look back at history, especially when it comes to taking measures for conservation, the actions taken are sometimes not popular with the public. One instance of such came in the early 1900’s when the government made it illegal to shoot and trade feathers from Egrets and other birds. Groups and individuals noticed the disappearance of birds along the coast and knew that a change had to be made. (This is how the Audubon society was formed). This infuriated some hunters so much that they actually killed one of the first appointed wildlife agents of the Everglades. Looking back now, 120 years later, we can recognize that the individuals that were against these changes were wrong.
Another one came from a conversation I had with an older gentleman down in Delacroix. He was a 4th generation fisherman and all he’s ever known is living off the land. His stories of the past were unbelievable and hard to fathom of how healthy our resources where when he was growing up. He told stories of filling a truck bed up with Mallards to sell in New Orleans and another of netting close to 10,000 pounds of redfish, all before his wife had lunch ready. He then told me that when they changed the laws so that he couldn’t net redfish anymore, that he left the island of Delacroix, drove to New Orleans and tried to whip the judge’s ass in the courtroom. I am sure he was pissed off at the time but 40 years later, we can look back and say he was wrong.
These instances are scattered all across the Gulf Coast and Texas is not the only one dealing with changes in fishing regulations. There are factors that affect the health of an ecosystem that we can not control—floods and hurricanes are a few of them. What we can do is to try and be proactive. My hopes in all of this is that 40 years from now, Lord willing I live that long, that my grandkids and that whole generation can get out on the water, catch plenty of fish and fall in love with the outdoors just as I have. If that is the outcome of the changes made from this decision, then I can look back and be happy that I was wrong.
Enjoy Life