REPOST FROM OPEN FISHING DISCUSSION:

TPW released the proposed language of the new restrictions on alligator gar spawning areas as part of their agenda for their next meeting at the end of the month. This has been a hot topic these last few days.

Action
2014-2015 Statewide Recreational and Commercial Fishing Proclamation
March 27, 2014

RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the Commission adopt the proposed motion:


BEGIN EXCERPT:
Proposed new �57.977, concerning Spawning Event Closure, would establish a processes to allow the department to temporarily prohibit the take of alligator gar in places where they are spawning or are about to spawn. Alligator gar populations are believed to be declining throughout much of their historical range in North America, which includes the Mississippi River system as well as the coastal rivers of the Gulf of Mexico from Florida to northern Mexico. Although the specific severity of these declines is unknown, habitat alteration and over-exploitation are thought to be partially responsible. Alligator gar have been extirpated in Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio and designated as a �Species of Concern� in Oklahoma and Kentucky. In addition, the Endangered Fishes Committee of the American Fisheries Society has listed the alligator gar as �Vulnerable.� Observed declines in other states, vulnerability to overfishing, and increased interest in the harvest of trophy gar indicate that a conservative management approach is warranted until populations and potential threats can be fully assessed. On that basis, the Commission in 2009 adopted a daily bag limit of one alligator gar per person, which was intended to protect adult fish while allowing limited harvest, thus ensuring population stability. Since 2009, the department has conducted (and is continuing to conduct) research to determine the estimated harvest of alligator gar, quantify reproduction, understand habitat usage, and determine geographic differences in populations. Initial analysis of the research data indicate that alligator gar in Texas have the greatest chance of spawning success if the creation of preferred spawning habitat (the seasonal inundation of low-lying areas of vegetation) occurs in late spring through early summer. Since each year does not necessarily bring seasonal inundation at the optimum time, spawning success varies greatly. For example, department data for the middle Trinity River indicate that between 1980 and 2010, strong reproductive success occurred in only five years (1980, 1989, 1990, 1991, and 2007). Furthermore, in 21 of the years between 1980 and 2010, reproductive success was nonexistent or weak, and in many of these years, rainfall was low or drought conditions occurred. Because the conditions for spawning do not exist on a regular or cyclical basis, and because spawning occurs in shallow waters where numerous gar can be concentrated in one area, alligator gar are extremely vulnerable to harvest during spawning. To protect alligator gar from excessive harvest during spawning, the proposed new rule would allow the executive director of the department to prohibit the take of alligator in an affected area, which would be defined as �an area of fresh water containing environmental conditions conducive for alligator gar spawning� or �an area of fresh water where alligator gar are in the process of spawning activity.� The proposed new rule would define �environmental conditions conducive for alligator gar spawning� as �the components of a hydrological state (including but not limited to water temperatures, duration and timing of flooding events, river discharge rates, and any other factors that are known to be conducive to gar reproduction) that are predictors of the likelihood of spawning activity of alligator gar.� The proposed new rule would require the executive director to provide appropriate public notice when an affected area is declared and when lawful fishing for alligator may resume, and would limit the duration of a prohibition to no more than 30 days. The department believes it is important to provide the angling public with a specific maximum time span for the effectiveness of an action under the proposed new section. The proposed new rule is necessary to manage alligator gar populations and ensure their ability to perpetuate themselves successfully.




At the Work Session meeting on January 22, 2014, staff was authorized to publish the proposed rules in the Texas Register for public comment. The proposed rules appeared in the February 21, 2014 issue of the Texas Register (39 TexReg 1063).

�57.977. Spawning Event Closures.

(a) Definitions. For purposes of this section, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

(1) Affected area�

(A) an area of fresh water containing environmental conditions conducive for alligator gar spawning; or

(B) an area of fresh water where alligator gar are in the process of spawning activity.

(2) Environmental conditions conducive for alligator gar spawning �the components of a hydrological state (including but not limited to water temperatures, timing and duration of flood events, river discharge rates, and any other factors that are known to be conducive to alligator gar reproduction) that are predictors of the likelihood of spawning activity of alligator gar.

(b) The Executive Director shall prohibit the take or attempted take of alligator gar in an affected area and shall provide appropriate notice to the public when the take or attempted take of alligator gar in an affected area is prohibited. The Executive Director shall provide appropriate public notice as to when lawful fishing in the affected area or areas may resume. An action under this section shall not exceed 30 days in duration.

(c) No person may take or attempt to take alligator gar by any means in an affected area declared by the Executive Director under subsection (b) of this section until the Executive Director gives notice that the lawful take of alligator gar may resume.

�57.978. Violations and Penalties. The penalties for a violation of this subchapter are prescribed by Parks and Wildlife Code.

This agency hereby certifies that the proposal has been reviewed by legal counsel and found to be within the agency�s authority to adopt.

Issued in Austin, Texas, on



A summary of public comment on the proposed rules will be presented at the time of the hearing.






My take away were the following

-TPW agrees with US Fisheries that this is vulnerable species
-TPW believes recent spawns have been weak
-TPW does not have a firm grasp of total harvest
-When spawning does occur it concentrates them in small areas of shallow water where TPW thinks they are extremely vulnerable to harvest
-TPW believes a conservative management strategy is warranted
-TPW Staff (biologists) are recommending the commission pass the proposed motion


I'll say it again, I remain to be convinced that closing areas to alligator gar fishing during what TPW determines to be spawning conditions
is the best answer. However, TPW staff seem to believe the situation is negative enough to warrant further "conservative management"

EDIT- I just finished a lengthy email exchange with Dr. Dan Daughtry at TPW. Based on that conversation I think this regulation strikes a good balance between allowing for a healthy spawn if conditions are right and minimal impact to all forms of sportsmen that pursue the alligator gar.
Based on this I have started the following petition:

CLICK LINK BELOW TO SIGN A PETITION IN SUPPORT OF THIS CHANGE
http://www.change.org/petitions/concerne...s-alligator-gar




CLICK LINK BELOW TO SUBMIT OFFICIAL COMMENTS TO TPW FOR OR AGAINST
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/business/feedback/public_comment/proposals/201403_fishing.phtml

Still think it's a BS proposal.....

You sound like you know a lot about BS proposals.

You want to know what the REAL bull is? Parks and wildlife held many different meetings all over the state, after normal business hours, where people could go and discuss the proposal with STATE BIOLOGISTS. These Biologists and Game Wardens could have been home spending time with their families, but instead they took the time to listen to all our opinions and answer questions. Everyone seems to feel very strongly about this issue, but how many people actually went to the meetings? I went to the one in Huntsville, and it was only me and one other person. I heard it was the same for a lot of others. By going to the meeting, I had everything about the proposal clarified for me. 5 minutes worth of questions did way more for my understanding than 2-3 weeks of arguing online. I'm not directing this at anyone in particular. I know that there were people from this forum that went. But it's a shame that everyone has such a strong opinion online but you can't sacrifice your time to help Parks and Wildlife come up with a reasonable proposal. And yes, they do value your opinion.

Doesn't matter now. They are having their meetings today and tomorrow. If you go to the TPWD commission meetings page you can listen to the meeting streaming live!

Check this out@ TP&W gar survey at Falcon Lake:

http://www.tackleandrods.com/lake/flash.htm

Love it. Anything to help increase populations and help these giants survive is good in my book.

Anything to decrease populations and wipe these giants out is good in my book..

LOL