collecting fish

[leaffish75]

DOes any one know the laws for collecting fish or any thing from the wild in texas? I have emailed the texas parks and wildlife with little help they just keep saying you need a fishing license (duhh) or if im 9 miles off the coast i dont need anything. the fishing license is for catching game fish which i know but these fish arent concidered game fish. I can catch pipe fish (caught one yesterday) saragasum frog fish, spades, and many more. any help would be appreciated.

thanks
leaf

[crazy_reefing]

A few places you can contact:

U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service (covers texas)
Office of Law Enforcement
P.O. Box 329
Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA 87103
Phone: (505) 248-7889 Fax: (505) 248-7899

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/annual/fish/bagandsize.phtml

Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council at (888) 833-1844 (this is for collecting more then 9 miles from coast of Texas)

[leaffish75]

i have already contact U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service. got the number thru TPW. the said to fish in texas you need a fishing license but if you go 9 miles out you dont. I said i dont want game fish but the others...... in short they were no help

[MikeS]

well, if the fish fall neither into the game fish category or a protected status, I'm not sure how you would go about finding the legalities. try your local Game and Fish dept., they might have a better idea....I'm guessing you probably have to have some sort of collector's licence....


Mike