Bill Text: TX HCR133 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Designating the red drum as the official State Saltwater Fish of Texas.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2011-06-17 - Signed by the Governor [HCR133 Detail]
Download: Texas-2011-HCR133-Enrolled.html
H.C.R. No. 133 |
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WHEREAS, The lands and waters of Texas are home to a diverse | ||
range of animals, and a select number of these species have been | ||
recognized as official state symbols as a result of their | ||
significance to our history and culture; and | ||
WHEREAS, A particularly rich natural environment is found | ||
along the Texas Gulf Coast, and of the many distinctive plants and | ||
wildlife found in that region, the red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) | ||
is particularly deserving of recognition; and | ||
WHEREAS, Also known as the redfish and the bull red, this | ||
majestic saltwater fish spends the first three years of its life in | ||
bays along the coast before heading into the open waters of the Gulf | ||
of Mexico; it also demonstrates the hardiness and adaptability so | ||
often found in the Lone Star State, swimming up rivers on occasion | ||
and also taking up residence in certain inland reservoirs; and | ||
WHEREAS, Perhaps the most distinctive characteristic of the | ||
fish is its Texas-sized stature; at three years of age, the typical | ||
red drum is two-and-a-half feet long and will grow larger over the | ||
course of its long life; the biggest red drum caught in Texas waters | ||
was 54.25 inches long and weighed nearly 60 pounds; and | ||
WHEREAS, The fish's size, along with its power, speed, and | ||
delicious flavor, has made it one of the most popular game species | ||
in Texas waters; whether wading through the shallows, casting with | ||
fly rods, or trying their luck in pier or surf fishing, anglers of | ||
all types prize the red drum as a catch; as a result, the fish plays | ||
an important role in boosting recreational tourism; and | ||
WHEREAS, In decades past, redfish also helped drive the | ||
state's commercial fishing industry and at times made up as much as | ||
35 percent of its landings; overfishing and illegal netting took a | ||
toll, however, and by the early 1980s the drum population had | ||
dropped to dangerously low levels throughout the Gulf of Mexico; | ||
fortunately, state officials responded to the situation by enacting | ||
legislation and adopting wise management and enforcement measures, | ||
including the development of a revolutionary hatchery; today, | ||
numbers have rebounded to the point where the state has one of the | ||
best red drum fisheries in the nation; and | ||
WHEREAS, An environmental success story as well as an | ||
awe-inspiring and much-sought-after resident of the Gulf Coast | ||
waters, the red drum is a celebrated member of our natural world, | ||
and it is indeed a fitting symbol of the Lone Star State; now, | ||
therefore, be it | ||
RESOLVED, That the 82nd Legislature of the State of Texas | ||
hereby designate the red drum as the official State Saltwater Fish | ||
of Texas. | ||
Bonnen | ||
______________________________ | ______________________________ | |
President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | |
I certify that H.C.R. No. 133 was adopted by the House on May | ||
5, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 146, Nays 0, 1 present, not | ||
voting. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Chief Clerk of the House | ||
I certify that H.C.R. No. 133 was adopted by the Senate on May | ||
19, 2011, by a viva-voce vote. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Secretary of the Senate | ||
APPROVED: __________________ | ||
Date | ||
__________________ | ||
Governor |