Title PW, Parks and Wildlife Code

Sec. 66.005. WILFUL DESTRUCTION OF BOAT, SEINE, OR NET. No person may wilfully, with the intent to injure the owner, take a boat, seine, net, or other device for fishing into prohibited water, or use a boat, seine, net, or other device for fishing to take fish unlawfully, so as t…

Sec. 66.006. POSSESSION OF ILLEGAL FISHING DEVICES. (a) No person may possess a device designed to catch fish or other aquatic wildlife in or on the public water of this state where the use of the device is not permitted by this code or by a proclamation of the commission under t…

Sec. 66.007. EXOTIC HARMFUL OR POTENTIALLY HARMFUL FISH AND SHELLFISH. (a) No person may import, possess, sell, or place into the public water of this state exotic harmful or potentially harmful fish or shellfish except as authorized by rule or permit issued by the department. (b…

Sec. 66.0071. REMOVAL OF HARMFUL AQUATIC PLANTS. On leaving any public or private body of water in this state, a person shall immediately remove and lawfully dispose of any exotic aquatic plant on the list of prohibited plants adopted under Section 66.0072 that is clinging or att…

Sec. 66.0072. EXOTIC HARMFUL OR POTENTIALLY HARMFUL AQUATIC PLANTS. (a) In this section: (1) "Exotic aquatic plant" means a nonindigenous aquatic plant that is not normally found in the public water of this state. (2) "Public water" has the meaning assigned by Section 66.015. (b)…

Sec. 66.0073. RULES REQUIRING WATER TO BE DRAINED. (a) In this section: (1) "Public water" has the meaning assigned by Section 66.015. (2) "Salt water" has the meaning assigned by Section 66.001. (3) "Vessel" has the meaning assigned by Section 31.003. (b) The commission may adop…

Sec. 66.008. FISHING FROM BRIDGE. (a) No person may fish from the deck or road surface of any bridge or causeway on a road maintained by the Texas Department of Transportation. (b) No person may deposit or leave any dead fish, crab, or bait on the deck or road surface of any brid…

Sec. 66.009. NAVIGATION DISTRICTS. (a) No person may use a seine or net of any type, trotline, or other mechanical or physical device, except hook and line, to catch fish in a channel, turning basin, or other water of a navigation district operating under Chapter 63, Water Code. …

Sec. 66.0091. FISHING IN CERTAIN MAN-MADE WATERWAYS. (a) This section applies to a county in which at least 60 percent of the total area of the county is regularly covered by water and in which the majority of the total area of a wildlife refuge for species of wildlife on the fed…

Sec. 66.011. LEAVING FISH TO DIE. A person commits an offense if the person leaves edible fish or bait fish taken from the public waters of this state to die without the intent to retain the fish for consumption or bait. Added by Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 267, art. 4, Sec. 2, eff…

Sec. 66.012. PENALTIES. (a) Except as otherwise provided by this section, a person who violates a provision of this subchapter or a rule adopted by the commission under this subchapter commits an offense that is a Class C Parks and Wildlife Code misdemeanor. (b) A person who viol…

Sec. 66.013. FEDERAL GRANTS. Federal grants for research and development of commercial fisheries may be used for individual fishery projects with the approval of the department. Added by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 637, Sec. 10, eff. Sept. 1, 1989.

Sec. 66.014. IDENTIFICATION OF VEHICLE TRANSPORTING AQUATIC PRODUCTS. (a) No person may transport any aquatic product for commercial purposes unless the person clearly identifies the motor vehicle, trailer, or semitrailer as a vehicle that carries aquatic products. The commission…

Sec. 66.015. INTRODUCTION OF FISH, SHELLFISH, AND AQUATIC PLANTS. (a) In this section, "public water" means the bays, estuaries, and water of the Gulf of Mexico within the jurisdiction of the state, and the rivers, streams, creeks, bayous, reservoirs, lakes, and portions of those…

Sec. 66.016. COMMERCIAL FISHING REGULATIONS APPLICABLE IF COMMERCIAL PLATES ON BOARD. (a) A person on board a boat licensed or required to be licensed for a commercial fishing activity under Chapter 47, 76, 77, or 78, or any other chapter of this code may not catch and retain any…

Sec. 66.017. LICENSE, TAG, AND PERMIT EXPIRATIONS AND TRANSFERS. (a) All licenses, tags, and permits issued under the authority of Chapter 66 of this code are valid only during the yearly period for which they are issued without regard to the date on which the licenses are acquir…

Sec. 66.018. CRAB TRAP TAGS. (a) The department may issue tags for crab traps placed in public water. (b) The commission may make regulations for the safe use of crab traps and to carry out the provisions of this section. (c) A crab trap tag issued under this section shall be att…

Sec. 66.019. STATISTICAL REPORTS. (a) The department shall gather statistical information on the harvest of aquatic products of this state. (b) The department shall prescribe the method or methods used to gather information and shall produce and distribute any applicable report f…

Sec. 66.020. SALE AND PURCHASE OF PROTECTED FISH. (a) It is unlawful for any person to buy or offer to buy, sell or offer to sell, possess for the purpose of sale, transport or ship for the purpose of sale, barter, or exchange bass of the genus Micropterus, blue marlin, crappie, …

Sec. 66.021. PROTECTED FISH: DISPLAY OF DOCUMENTS. (a) A person commits an offense if the person possesses a fish described by Subsection 66.020(a) of this code under Subsection 66.020(b) of this code and: (1) fails to keep with the fish a document or documents that verify the pl…

Sec. 66.022. PURCHASE FOR EVIDENCE. A person authorized by the department who, for the purpose of establishing testimony, purchases or sells any aquatic life the purchase or sale of which is prohibited or regulated by this code is immune from prosecution for the purchases or sale…

Sec. 66.023. FRAUD IN FISHING TOURNAMENTS. (a) In this section, "fishing tournament" means a contest in which a prize is to be awarded to one or more participants in the contest based on the weight, length, number, or type of fish caught by the participants or based on any other …

Sec. 66.024. SEAGRASS PLANTS. (a) In this section, "seagrass plant" means a flowering marine plant of the species: (1) Cymodocea filiformis, known as manatee grass; (2) Halodule beaudettei or Halodule wrightii, known as shoal grass; (3) Halophila engelmannii, known as star grass …

Sec. 66.102. PLACING PROHIBITED DEVICES IN PUBLIC WATER. A device designed to catch fish or other aquatic wildlife resources that is placed in the public fresh water of this state in violation of a law or commission proclamation is a nuisance, and a game warden or other peace off…

Sec. 66.109. FISH LADDERS. (a) The department, by written order, may require the owner of a public or private dam or other obstruction on a regularly flowing public freshwater stream to construct or repair fishways or fish ladders sufficient to allow fish in all seasons to ascend…

Sec. 66.110. SCREENS TO PROTECT FISH. (a) The department may direct a person or corporation taking fresh water of the state to cover the entrance of the intake canal, pipe, or other device used for taking water with a screen to protect fish. (b) The department may regulate the ma…

Sec. 66.111. SALE AND PURCHASE OF CERTAIN FISH. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), no person may buy or offer to buy, sell or offer to sell, possess for the purpose of sale, transport or ship for the purpose of sale, or barter or exchange any fish taken from the public fre…

Sec. 66.114. GAME AND NONGAME FISH DEFINED: COMMISSION PROCLAMATION. The commission by proclamation shall define game and nongame fish. Acts 1975, 64th Leg., p. 1405, ch. 545, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1975. Amended by Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 267, art. 4, Sec. 4, eff. Sept. 1, 1985…

Sec. 66.115. HANDFISHING. (a) In this section, "handfishing" means fishing for catfish by the use of hands only and without any other fishing device such as a gaff, pole hook, trap, or spear. (b) A person holding the required fishing license and freshwater fishing stamp issued to…

Sec. 66.121. PENALTY. A person who violates Section 66.109, 66.110, 66.111, or 66.117(b) of this code or a regulation adopted under Section 66.115 of this code commits an offense that is a Class C Parks and Wildlife Code misdemeanor. Added by Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 267, art. 3…

Sec. 66.2011. RED DRUM AND SPECKLED SEA TROUT: PENALTIES. In addition to the penalty provided in Section 66.218, a person who violates a proclamation issued under Chapter 61 shall have all equipment, other than vessels, in the person's possession used for the taking of red drum o…

Sec. 66.2012. REGULATION OF COMMERCIAL USES OF REDFISH AND SPECKLED SEA TROUT. (a) The commission by proclamation may regulate the catching, possession, transportation, sale, and purchase for commercial purposes in this state of redfish and speckled sea trout. A proclamation issu…

Sec. 66.204. VESSELS AND OBSTRUCTIONS IN FISH PASSES. (a) The commission by proclamation may regulate the placement of obstructions, traps, and mooring in fish passes and the marking of restricted areas in any natural or artificial pass that is opened, reopened, dredged, excavate…

Sec. 66.206. TROTLINE TAGS. (a) The department shall issue numbered tags for trotlines used in public salt water. (b) The commission may make regulations for the safe use of trotlines and to carry out the provisions of this section. (c) A trotline tag shall be attached to each 30…

Sec. 66.208. COMMERCIAL JOINT FISHING VENTURES. (a) No person who is engaged in taking seafood in a commercial joint venture may sell or offer to sell the products of the joint venture except in the regular course of the joint venture with the express or implied consent of the co…

Sec. 66.215. TAGS FOR NONCOMMERCIAL NETS AND SEINES. (a) Except as provided in Subsection (b) of this section, no person may place or use in the coastal water of this state a net or seine unless there is attached to the net or seine a tag that discloses the name and address of th…

Sec. 66.216. POSSESSION OF HEADED OR TAILED FISH. (a) No person may possess a finfish of any species taken from coastal water, except broadbill swordfish, shark, or king mackerel, that has the head removed unless the fish has been finally processed and delivered to the final dest…

Sec. 66.2161. SALE OR PURCHASE OF SHARK FINS OR SHARK FIN PRODUCTS; OFFENSE. (a) In this section: (1) "Destroy" means, with respect to a shark fin, to denature the fin for the purpose of rendering the fin inedible. (2) "Place of business" has the meaning assigned by Section 47.00…

Sec. 66.217. FINFISH RESEARCH. (a) The department shall conduct continuous research and study of: (1) the supply, economic value, environment, and breeding habits of the various species of finfish, including red drum and speckled sea trout; (2) factors affecting the increase or d…

Sec. 66.218. PENALTIES. (a) Except as otherwise provided by this section, a person who violates a provision of this subchapter or a proclamation adopted under this subchapter commits an offense that is a Class C Parks and Wildlife Code misdemeanor. (b) If it is shown at the trial…

Sec. 66.301. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "coastal water" means all of the salt water of this state, including that portion of the Gulf of Mexico within the jurisdiction of this state. Acts 1975, 64th Leg., p. 1405, ch. 545, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1975.

Sec. 66.303. PROHIBITED ACTS. No unlicensed alien vessel may take or attempt to take by any means or possess any natural resource of the coastal water of this state. Acts 1975, 64th Leg., p. 1405, ch. 545, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1975. Amended by Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 267, art.…

Sec. 66.304. PORT AUTHORITIES AND NAVIGATION DISTRICTS. It is the duty of the port authorities and navigation districts of this state to prevent the use of any port facility in a manner that they reasonably suspect may assist in the violation of this subchapter. They shall use al…

Sec. 66.305. HARBOR PILOTS. All harbor pilots shall promptly transmit any knowledge coming to their attention regarding possible violations of this subchapter to the appropriate navigation district or port authority or the appropriate law enforcement officials. Acts 1975, 64th Le…

Sec. 66.306. ENFORCEMENT. All law enforcement agencies of the state, including agents of the department, are empowered and directed to arrest the masters and crews of vessels that are reasonably believed to be in violation of this chapter and to seize and detain the vessels and t…

Sec. 66.307. POLITICAL ASYLUM. No crew member or master seeking bona fide political asylum shall be fined or imprisoned under this subchapter. Acts 1975, 64th Leg., p. 1405, ch. 545, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1975.