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Texas Wade, Paddle & Pole is a growing community of ethical and responsible shallow-water anglers. Our goal is to promote education, conservation, and management to insure a healthy system of coastal flats and estuaries for current and future fishing generations.
Since 1960, our coastal population has more than doubled, and many forecast models predict that the number of costal residents is likely to double again within the next 30 years.
In recent years we have seen a disturbing increase in unethical and abusive boating and fishing behavior on our shallow flats. For this fishery to remain healthy, responsible users must join together as a unified voice and promote the basics of low-impact use.
What we actively support:
- Anglers that locate fish on the Texas coastal flats by wading, paddling, poling, drifting and (electric) trolling.
- Protection of the sensitive seagrass habitat that builds and sustains our inshore fisheries.
- Efforts to educate boaters and anglers on the ethical and responsible use of our resources.
- A system of Managed Fishing Areas (MFA's) on the Texas Coast that are open to all fishing methods, but closed to running motorized craft. We fully endorse allowing motorized access to these areas during designated duck seasons.
- The establishment of more public access points for waders and paddlers so that existing locations might receive less pressure.
What we adamantly oppose:
- The complete closure of any area to fishing.
- Boaters (prop, air, or jet) that run across shallow coastal flats in an effort to locate fish, reach remote areas, joyride, or "eco-tour".
- The destruction of valuable seagrass habitat and the harassment and disturbance of fish and anglers by boaters that utilize the above unethical tactics.
- Tournaments, fishing guides, outdoor media, conservation groups, and boat/tackle manufacturers that promote this type of behavior through film, articles and product endorsement.
FAQ's and Clarifications |
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Are you fishing for the resource, or fishing against it? |
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