Trends in finfish landings of sport-boat anglers in Texas marine waters. May 1974-May 1992

Private-boat and party-boat anglers have been interviewed routinely at boat-access sites along the Texas coast by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) since May 1974 and May 1983, respectively; almost 22,000 anglers were interviewed during 1991-92. Bay headboat anglers were interviewed routinely from May 1983 to May 1991 during on-board surveyus. Sport-boat (private-boat and party-boat combined) fishing pressure and landings in 1991-92 exceeded 5.7 million man-h and 2.0 million fish. Sport-boat pressure and landings increased 15% and 36%, respectively, from 1990-91 to 1991-92. Sport-boat fishing in bays and passes accounted for 93% of the pressure and 95% of the landings in 1991-92; the remainder occurred in the Gulf of Mexico off Texas. Standardized collection of sport-boat harvest datat, in conjunction with fishery independent data, has enabled continuous monitoring of the status of marine finfish resources in Texas. The TPWD has implemented regulations based on data generated from this monitoring program.