SECTION 58.165. Non-commercial (Recreational) Shrimping

(a) General rules.

(1) It is unlawful for any person:

(A) to take or attempt to take non-commercial shrimp in coastal waters by any means except an individual bait-shrimp trawl, cast net, or minnow seine not larger than 20 feet in length that is manually operated without the use of any mechanical means or devices;

(B) to buy, sell, offer for sale, or handle in any way for profit non-commercial shrimp caught with an individual bait-shrimp trawl, cast net, or minnow seine not larger than 20 feet; or

(C) to possess or have on board more than one individual bait-shrimp trawl.

(2) Net restrictions--Individual bait-shrimp trawls.

(A) Trawls may not exceed 20 feet in width as measured between the doors and along the uninterrupted corkline, including any and all add-on devices or attachments to the corkline.

(B) Trawl doors or boards may not exceed 450 square inches each.

(C) Mesh size may not be less than 8 3/4 inches in length between the two most widely separated knots in any consecutive series of five stretched meshes after the trawl has been placed in use.

(b) Shrimping for personal use and bait--Outside waters.

(1) Open waters--the outside waters are open to shrimping except:

(A) Night: In the outside waters from the shoreline out to 5 nautical miles is closed to night shrimping (30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise).

(B) That portion of the Southern Shrimp Zone from the shoreline out to 5 nautical miles is closed to shrimping from February 16 to the start date of the summer Gulf closure.

(C) Summer closed season.

(i) The outside waters are closed from 30 minutes after sunset on May 15 to 30 minutes after sunset July 15.

(ii) The commission may change the opening and closing dates to provide an earlier, later, or longer season not to exceed 75 days.

(iii) The department will provide 72 hours public notice prior to a change in the closing date, and 24 hours public notice prior to reopening the season.

(D) Winter closed season: The outside waters from the shoreline out to 5 nautical miles are closed from December 1 through February 15 the following year.

(2) Bag and possession limits.

(A) Personal use: No more than 100 pounds of shrimp (in their natural state with heads attached) per day may be taken or possessed on board.

(B) Bait: No more than two quarts of shrimp (in their natural state with heads attached) per person or four quarts of shrimp per boat may be on board or possessed.

(3) Size limits: shrimp of any size may be retained when caught lawfully in the outside waters.

(c) Shrimping for personal use--Inside waters.

(1) Open waters. Major bays only are open to taking of shrimp for food for personal use.

(2) Spring open season.

(A) The spring open season extends from May 15 through July 15.

(B) Legal shrimping hours: 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset.

(C) Bag and possession limits: No more than 15 pounds of shrimp (in their natural state with heads attached) per person per day may be taken or possessed on board.

(D) Size limits: Shrimp of any size may be retained when caught lawfully during spring open season in inside waters.

(3) Fall open season.

(A) The fall open season extends from August 15 through November 30.

(B) Legal shrimping hours: 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset.

(C) Bag and possession limits: No more than 15 pounds of shrimp (in their natural state with heads attached) per person per day may be taken or possessed on board.

(d) Shrimping for bait--Inside waters.

(1) Open waters: Bait bays and major bays only are open to taking of shrimp for bait.

(2) Non-commercial bait-shrimp season. Bait bays and major bays are open year-round for non-commercial bait shrimping.

(3) Legal shrimping hours are 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset.

(4) Bag and possession limits: No more than two quarts of shrimp (in their natural state with heads attached) per person or four quarts of shrimp per boat may be on board or possessed.

(5) Size limits: Shrimp of any size may be retained when caught lawfully for bait in the inside waters.

Source Note: The provisions of this §58.165 adopted to be effective October 3, 1996, 21 TexReg 9176; amended to be effective October 10, 2000, 25 TexReg 10157; amended to be effective January 2, 2002, 26 TexReg 11004; amended to be effective May 14, 2015, 40 TexReg 2573; amended to be effective July 9, 2017, 42 TexReg 3396