H.B. No. 1181
AN ACT
relating to the regulation of commercial catfish fishing on Falcon
Lake.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 66.111(b), Parks and Wildlife Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(b) Subsection (a) of this section does not apply to:
(1) a fish, other than a bass of the genus Micropterus,
reared in private water under a fish farmer's license;
(2) a fish possessed legally outside this state and
transported into this state;
(3) bass of the genus Micropterus reared in private
water under a fish farmer's license and marketed for the purpose of
stocking the water of this state;
(4) nongame fish regulated under Chapter 67 of this
code;
(5) channel catfish of more than 14 inches in length or
blue catfish of more than 14 inches in length taken from the public
fresh water of Angelina, Bowie, Camp, Cass, Chambers, Franklin,
Freestone, Gregg, Hardin, Harris, Harrison, Jasper, Jefferson,
Lamar, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Marion, Montgomery, Morris,
Nacogdoches, Navarro, Newton, Orange, Panola, Polk, Red River,
Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, Shelby, Titus, Trinity, Tyler,
Upshur, or Walker County, the public fresh water of the Neches or
Trinity River in Houston County, [or] the public fresh water of the
Colorado River in Bastrop, Colorado, Fayette, Matagorda, or Wharton
County, or the public fresh water of Falcon Lake in Starr or Zapata
County.
SECTION 2. Title 7, Parks and Wildlife Code, is amended by
adding Chapter 351 to read as follows:
CHAPTER 351. STARR AND ZAPATA COUNTIES
SUBCHAPTER A. FALCON LAKE
Sec. 351.001. COMMERCIAL CATFISH FISHING. (a)
Notwithstanding any other law and except as provided by Subsection
(b), a person may engage in commercial catfish fishing in the
portion of Falcon Lake in this state that borders Starr and Zapata
Counties if the person:
(1) holds the required commercial fishing license
issued by the department; and
(2) engages in the commercial fishing on a vessel
licensed as a commercial fishing boat by the department.
(b) The department may regulate the amount of catfish taken
from the portion of Falcon Lake described by Subsection (a) if the
department determines that regulation is necessary to protect the
catfish population in Falcon Lake from depletion or waste.
(c) The commission may adopt rules related to commercial
catfish fishing in Falcon Lake.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 1181 was passed by the House on April
12, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 143, Nays 0, 2 present, not
voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 1181 was passed by the Senate on May
22, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: _____________________
Date
_____________________
Governor