By: Faircloth H.C.R. No. 122

(Senate Sponsor - Taylor of Galveston)

(In the Senate - Received from the House May 24, 2015; May 24, 2015, read first time and referred to Committee on Administration; May 26, 2015, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 6, Nays 0; May 26, 2015, sent to printer.) Click here to see the committee vote

HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Americans love to eat the humble but tasty shrimp, and the shrimp caught off the Gulf Coast of Texas is among the most coveted of the varieties enjoyed by diners across the nation; and

WHEREAS, Approximately 90 percent of the shrimp consumed by Americans is imported from foreign tank farms, which makes Gulf shrimp a special treat; these low-calorie sources of protein can be served in many ways, either boiled, deep-fried, grilled, or pan-fried, and they are an excellent source of selenium, iron, zinc, and vitamins D and B12, as well as omega-3 fats; the average American eats more than four pounds of shrimp each year; and

WHEREAS, More than 80 percent of the shrimp harvested in the United States comes from the Gulf of Mexico, and Texas ranks as one of the leading producers of wild-caught shrimp, shipping large quantities of this healthy and sustainable food to restaurants and grocery stores nationwide; the Texas seafood industry generates more than $850 million in sales each year and accounts for over 14,000 jobs, and Gulf shrimping has become a way of life for many families in such communities as Port Arthur, Galveston, Palacios, and Port Isabel; and

WHEREAS, Like barbecue and Tex-Mex, the shrimp caught off the Gulf Coast of Texas has become one of the signature foods of Lone Star cuisine and an essential part of the economy and the cultural heritage of our state; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the 84th Legislature of the State of Texas hereby designate the Texas Gulf shrimp as the Official State Crustacean of Texas.

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