UPDATE: The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is reopening fishing for alligator gar in portions of the river between the Highway 287 bridge near Cayuga and State Highway 7 near Crockett effective Friday, May 24th.
TPWD temporarily prohibited taking or attempting to take alligator gar on May 6 to protect spawning alligator gar, which is a species of conservation concern in the Trinity River. Water conditions that trigger spawning activity in alligator gar, such as water temperature above 68 F and presence of flood levels at the moderate stage as reported by U.S. Geological Survey gauges, were earlier identified by department staff. Some stretches have receded from those flood levels and others are forecast to recede in coming days. Staff believes that the decrease in flood levels indicates that most of the alligator gar spawning has likely occurred, eliminating the need for a fishing closure.
The temporary prohibition did not affect alligator gar fishing in parts of the state other than those areas of the Trinity River detailed above.
An immediate ban on prohibiting the take of alligator gar has been adopted by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD).
The ban has been instituted for the Trinity River and tributary waters from U.S. Highway 287 bridge in Anderson and Freestone counties downstream to the State Highway 7 bridge in Leon and Houston counties.
The ban is being put in place to protect the declining population of alligator gar species during a time that has been deemed favorable for spawning.
Under the provisions of Parks and Wildlife Code 12.027, if the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission or the Executive Director of TPWD finds that there is an immediate danger to a species authorized to be regulated by the Department, the Commission or the Executive Director may adopt emergency rules as provided by Government Code 2001.034.
Alligator gar are a nongame fish subject to regulation by the Commission under the provisions of Parks and Wildlife Code, Chapter 67. Under the provisions of agency rules at 31 TAC 57.977, the Executive Director of the department may temporarily prohibit the take of alligator gar in places where they are spawning or are about to spawn.
The Executive Director finds that recent heavy rainfall in the upper Trinity River watershed has created environmental conditions conducive for alligator gar spawning, and that the vulnerability of alligator gar to harvest during spawning events, coupled with the infrequent occurrence of suitable spawning conditions, creates an immediate danger to alligator gar resources in the river extent from the U.S. Highway 287 bridge in Anderson and Freestone counties downstream to the State Highway 7 bridge in Leon and Houston counties.
The need to protect alligator gar during spawning activity creates an imperative necessity to engage in emergency rulemaking. The Executive Director also finds that due to the immediate nature of the threat it is necessary to adopt the rule with fewer than 30 days’ notice.
The Executive Director hereby authorizes the adoption, on an emergency basis, an amendment to 31 TAC 57.977 to prohibit the take of alligator gar in the Trinity River and tributary waters from the U.S. Highway 287 bridge in Anderson and Freestone counties downstream to the State Highway 7 bridge in Leon and Houston counties, to be effective immediately upon filing, and authorizes publication of a Notice of Emergency Adoption in the Texas Register.
The Executive Director further orders department staff to provide appropriate notice to the public that the take or attempted take of alligator gar in the affected area is prohibited.
This order is issued pursuant to 12.017 of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Code and is effective immediately, signed on May 6, 2019.
Click here to read the entire Oder No. 019-007.
