Participation in Texas Regulations

    When Texas Parks & Wildlife considered changing the regulations with regard to the retention of tarpon by anglers in Texas, Tarpon Tomorrow got the call.  The State wanted to permit anglers to retain one tarpon to potentially set a new state record, while still making the minimum fish length measurement large enough to prevent unnecessary fish mortality.  With data developed from the research conducted by Dr. Jerald Ault, with the University of Miami, Tarpon Tomorrow was able to help recommend an 85" minimum length limit for retention of tarpon in Texas.  Within a year of setting the new limit, a new State Record tarpon was landed off a pier in Galveston.  Just an example of how substantive data from research can yield real-world conservation regulations.

                                   Promotion of Tarpon Awareness in Texas

    Did you know Texas does not have a State Saltwater Fish?  Texas recognizes the Guadelupe Bass as the State Fish but there is know State Saltwater Fish.  Tarpon Tomorrow in conjunction with angler Jimmy Durham have initiated a resolution before the Texas State Legislature to recognize tarpon as the State Saltwater Fish.  With the long heritage of tarpon fishing in Texas, as well as the fact that tarpon are a recognized game fish that is accessible to many socioeconomic groups and different types of anglers, tarpon are uniquely situated to be recognized as the Texas State Saltwater Fish.

                                                      Conservation for the Future

    The goal of Tarpon Tomorrow's research and conservation efforts is to document and raise awareness of the relationship between Texas tarpon and other tarpon in the western Atlantic.  Only by protecting tarpon in the entire western Atlantic through a comprehensive and cohesive regulatory framework can we ensure that Texas tarpon will be around for generations to come.