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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the regulation of commercial catfish fishing on Falcon |
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Lake. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 66.111(b), Parks and Wildlife Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(b) Subsection (a) of this section does not apply to: |
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(1) a fish, other than a bass of the genus Micropterus, |
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reared in private water under a fish farmer's license; |
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(2) a fish possessed legally outside this state and |
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transported into this state; |
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(3) bass of the genus Micropterus reared in private |
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water under a fish farmer's license and marketed for the purpose of |
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stocking the water of this state; |
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(4) nongame fish regulated under Chapter 67 of this |
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code; |
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(5) channel catfish of more than 14 inches in length or |
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blue catfish of more than 14 inches in length taken from the public |
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fresh water of Angelina, Bowie, Camp, Cass, Chambers, Franklin, |
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Freestone, Gregg, Hardin, Harris, Harrison, Jasper, Jefferson, |
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Lamar, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Marion, Montgomery, Morris, |
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Nacogdoches, Navarro, Newton, Orange, Panola, Polk, Red River, |
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Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, Shelby, Titus, Trinity, Tyler, |
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Upshur, or Walker County, the public fresh water of the Neches or |
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Trinity River in Houston County, [or] the public fresh water of the |
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Colorado River in Bastrop, Colorado, Fayette, Matagorda, or Wharton |
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County, or the public fresh water of Falcon Lake in Starr or Zapata |
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County. |
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SECTION 2. Title 7, Parks and Wildlife Code, is amended by |
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adding Chapter 351 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 351. STARR AND ZAPATA COUNTIES |
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SUBCHAPTER A. FALCON LAKE |
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Sec. 351.001. COMMERCIAL CATFISH FISHING. (a) |
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Notwithstanding any other law and except as provided by Subsection |
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(b), a person may engage in commercial catfish fishing in the |
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portion of Falcon Lake in this state that borders Starr and Zapata |
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Counties if the person: |
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(1) holds the required commercial fishing license |
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issued by the department; and |
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(2) engages in the commercial fishing on a vessel |
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licensed as a commercial fishing boat by the department. |
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(b) The department may regulate the amount of catfish taken |
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from the portion of Falcon Lake described by Subsection (a) if the |
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department determines that regulation is necessary to protect the |
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catfish population in Falcon Lake from depletion or waste. |
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(c) The commission may adopt rules related to commercial |
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catfish fishing in Falcon Lake. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |
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* * * * * |