Texas Administrative Code › Title 31 - NATURAL RESOURCES AND CONSERVATION › Part 2 - TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT › Chapter 57 - FISHERIES › Subchapter N - STATEWIDE RECREATIONAL AND COMMERCIAL FISHING PROCLAMATION › Division 1 - GENERAL PROVISIONS › Section 57.971 - Definitions

Current through Reg. 49, No. 28; July 12, 2024
The following words and terms, when used in this
						subchapter, shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly
						indicates otherwise. All other words and terms in this subchapter shall have
						the meanings assigned in the Texas Parks and Wildlife Code.
(1) Annual bag limit--The quantity of a
					 species of a wildlife resource that may be taken from September 1 of one year
					 to August 31 of the following year.
(2) Artificial lure--Any lure (including
					 flies) with hook or hooks attached that is man-made and is used as a bait while
					 fishing.
(3) Bait--Something used
					 to lure any aquatic wildlife resource.
(4) Cast net--A net which can be hand-thrown
					 over an area.
(5) Charter Vessel--A
					 vessel less than 100 gross tons that meets the requirements of the U.S. Coast
					 Guard to carry six or fewer passengers for hire and that carries a passenger
					 for hire at any time during the calendar year. A charter vessel with a
					 commercial permit is considered to be operating as a charter vessel when it
					 carries a passenger who pays a fee or when there are more than three persons
					 aboard, including operator and crew.
(6) Circle hook--A hook originally designed
					 and manufactured so that the point of the hook is turned perpendicularly back
					 toward the shank of the hook to form a generally circular or oval
					 shape.
(7) Coastal waters
					 boundary--All public waters east and south of the following boundary are
					 considered saltwater: Beginning at the International Toll Bridge in
					 Brownsville, thence northward along U.S. Highway 77 to the junction of Paredes
					 Lines Road (F.M. Road 1847) in Brownsville, thence northward along F.M. Road
					 1847 to the junction of F.M. Road 106 east of Rio Hondo, thence westward along
					 F.M. Road 106 to the junction of F.M. Road 508 in Rio Hondo, thence northward
					 along F.M. Road 508 to the junction of F.M. Road 1420, thence northward along
					 F.M. Road 1420 to the junction of State Highway 186 east of Raymondville,
					 thence westward along State Highway 186 to the junction of U.S. Highway 77 near
					 Raymondville, thence northward along U.S. Highway 77 to the junction of the
					 Aransas River south of Woodsboro, thence eastward along the south shore of the
					 Aransas River to the junction of the Aransas River Road at the Bonnie View boat
					 ramp; thence northward along the Aransas River Road to the junction of F.M.
					 Road 629; thence northward along F.M. Road 629 to the junction of F.M. Road
					 136; thence eastward along F.M. Road 136 to the junction of F.M. Road 2678;
					 then northward along F.M. Road 2678 to the junction of F.M. Road 774 in
					 Refugio, thence eastward along F.M. Road 774 to the junction of State Highway
					 35 south of Tivoli, thence northward along State Highway 35 to the junction of
					 State Highway 185 between Bloomington and Seadrift, thence northwestward along
					 State Highway 185 to the junction of F.M. Road 616 in Bloomington, thence
					 northeastward along F.M. Road 616 to the junction of State Highway 35 east of
					 Blessing, thence southward along State Highway 35 to the junction of F.M. Road
					 521 north of Palacios, thence northeastward along F.M. Road 521 to the junction
					 of State Highway 36 south of Brazoria, thence southward along State Highway 36
					 to the junction of F.M. Road 2004, thence northward along F.M. Road 2004 to the
					 junction of Interstate Highway 45 between Dickinson and La Marque, thence
					 northwestward along Interstate Highway 45 to the junction of Interstate Highway
					 610 in Houston, thence east and northward along Interstate Highway 610 to the
					 junction of Interstate Highway 10 in Houston, thence eastward along Interstate
					 Highway 10 to the junction of State Highway 73 in Winnie, thence eastward along
					 State Highway 73 to the junction of U.S. Highway 287 in Port Arthur, thence
					 northwestward along U.S. Highway 287 to the junction of Interstate Highway 10
					 in Beaumont, thence eastward along Interstate Highway 10 to the Louisiana State
					 Line. The waters of Spindletop Bayou inland from the concrete dam at Russels
					 Landing on Spindletop Bayou in Jefferson County; public waters north of the dam
					 on Lake Anahuac in Chambers County; the waters of Taylor Bayou and Big Hill
					 Bayou inland from the saltwater locks on Taylor Bayou in Jefferson County;
					 Lakeview City Park Lake, West Guth Park Pond, and Waldron Park Pond in Nueces
					 County; Galveston County Reservoir and Galveston State Park ponds #1-7 in
					 Galveston County; Lake Burke-Crenshaw and Lake Nassau in Harris County; Fort
					 Brown Resaca, Resaca de la Guerra, Resaca de la Palma, Resaca de los Cuates,
					 Resaca de los Fresnos, Resaca Rancho Viejo, and Town Resaca in Cameron County;
					 and Little Chocolate Bayou Park Ponds #1 and #2 in Calhoun County are not
					 considered coastal waters for purposes of this subchapter.
(8) Community fishing lake (CFL)--All public
					 impoundments 75 acres or smaller located totally within an incorporated city
					 limits or a municipal, city, county, or state park.
(9) Crab--All species within the families
Portunidae
and
Menippidae.
(10) Crab line--A baited line with no hook
					 attached.
(11) Daily bag limit--The
					 quantity of a species of a wildlife resource that may be lawfully taken in one
					 day.
(12) Day--A 24-hour period of
					 time that begins at midnight and ends at midnight.
(13) Descending device--An instrument capable
					 of releasing a fish at the depth from which the fish was caught.
(A) A descending device must be a weighted
					 hook, lip clamp, or container that will hold the fish while it is lowered to
					 depth to effect release. The device must be capable of releasing the fish
					 automatically, by actions of the operator of the device, or by allowing the
					 fish to escape on its own when at depth.
(B) A descending device must use a minimum of
					 a 16-ounce (454-gram) weight and a minimum of a 60-ft (15.2-m) length of
					 line.