Is there any planning or research underway aimed at determining the feasibility of restoring the (saltwater) striped bass to Texas’ Coastal Fisheries?
The Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) has, in the past, made valiant efforts to establish striped bass in Texas marine waters. After approximately 20 years of stocking striped bass in various locations along the Texas coast we were unsuccessful in creating a significant fishery or a self-sustaining population. It is believed that stripers need a cool water refuge in the summer to escape the higher water temperatures. A Gulf-wide study of available habitat revealed that a refuge of this type is lacking along the Texas coast. In the Gulf, only Florida has a small self-sustaining population of striped bass inhabiting coastal waters. This population occurs in and around only 1 river system where the fish have access to a cool underwater spring. The TPWD ceased stocking stripers in marine waters after summer 1994. At this time we have no plans to resume stocking stripers in coastal waters. top of page I would like information about Texas striper fishing in Galveston Bay in the early
