Texas 2011 - 82nd Regular

Texas House Bill HCR133 Compare Versions

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1	1	By: Bonnen (Senate Sponsor - Hinojosa) H.C.R. No. 133
2	2	(In the Senate - Received from the House May 6, 2011;
3	3	May 9, 2011, read first time and referred to Committee on
4	4	Government Organization; May 10, 2011, rereferred to Committee on
5	5	Administration; May 17, 2011, reported favorably by the following
6	6	vote: Yeas 4, Nays 0; May 17, 2011, sent to printer.)
7	7
8	8
9	9	HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
10	10	WHEREAS, The lands and waters of Texas are home to a diverse
11	11	range of animals, and a select number of these species have been
12	12	recognized as official state symbols as a result of their
13	13	significance to our history and culture; and
14	14	WHEREAS, A particularly rich natural environment is found
15	15	along the Texas Gulf Coast, and of the many distinctive plants and
16	16	wildlife found in that region, the red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus)
17	17	is particularly deserving of recognition; and
18	18	WHEREAS, Also known as the redfish and the bull red, this
19	19	majestic saltwater fish spends the first three years of its life in
20	20	bays along the coast before heading into the open waters of the Gulf
21	21	of Mexico; it also demonstrates the hardiness and adaptability so
22	22	often found in the Lone Star State, swimming up rivers on occasion
23	23	and also taking up residence in certain inland reservoirs; and
24	24	WHEREAS, Perhaps the most distinctive characteristic of the
25	25	fish is its Texas-sized stature; at three years of age, the typical
26	26	red drum is two-and-a-half feet long and will grow larger over the
27	27	course of its long life; the biggest red drum caught in Texas waters
28	28	was 54.25 inches long and weighed nearly 60 pounds; and
29	29	WHEREAS, The fish's size, along with its power, speed, and
30	30	delicious flavor, has made it one of the most popular game species
31	31	in Texas waters; whether wading through the shallows, casting with
32	32	fly rods, or trying their luck in pier or surf fishing, anglers of
33	33	all types prize the red drum as a catch; as a result, the fish plays
34	34	an important role in boosting recreational tourism; and
35	35	WHEREAS, In decades past, redfish also helped drive the
36	36	state's commercial fishing industry and at times made up as much as
37	37	35 percent of its landings; overfishing and illegal netting took a
38	38	toll, however, and by the early 1980s the drum population had
39	39	dropped to dangerously low levels throughout the Gulf of Mexico;
40	40	fortunately, state officials responded to the situation by enacting
41	41	legislation and adopting wise management and enforcement measures,
42	42	including the development of a revolutionary hatchery; today,
43	43	numbers have rebounded to the point where the state has one of the
44	44	best red drum fisheries in the nation; and
45	45	WHEREAS, An environmental success story as well as an
46	46	awe-inspiring and much-sought-after resident of the Gulf Coast
47	47	waters, the red drum is a celebrated member of our natural world,
48	48	and it is indeed a fitting symbol of the Lone Star State; now,
49	49	therefore, be it
50	50	RESOLVED, That the 82nd Legislature of the State of Texas
51	51	hereby designate the red drum as the official State Saltwater Fish
52	52	of Texas.
53	53	* * * * *