Commercial Harvest Reporting/Trip Ticket Program
Attention Commercial Wholesale, Retail & Bait Dealers and Commercial Fishermen
All aquatic products landed or transferred by a licensed commercial fisherman to another person must be recorded for each trip, regardless of species. Trip Ticket and harvest report data are the standard method used nationwide for collecting commercial landings data.
All report records must be retained for two years. Filing an incorrect or false report is unlawful.
Accurate reporting keeps our fisheries healthy and Texas compliant.
Who Must File Reports?
Dealers
- Dealers who purchase or receive aquatic products from commercial fishermen or anyone other than another licensed dealer must file a monthly report with TPWD.
- Reports must be submitted by the 10th day of each month, covering activities from the previous month.
- Monthly reporting is mandatory, even if no purchases occurred—you must file a report indicating no activity.
Commercial Fishermen
- Fishermen who sell or transfer their catch to individuals or restaurants that are not licensed dealers must also file a monthly report with TPWD.
- Reports must be submitted by the 10th day of each month, detailing sales or landings from the prior month.
- Monthly reporting is mandatory, even if no sales occurred—you must file a report indicating no activity.
How to Submit Reports
Reports are submitted electronically through a web-based application (VESL).
Do not attempt to register directly. To begin reporting, contact the Trip Ticket Program by email or phone to provide a valid email address. You will receive a link and instructions to access the reporting system.
Contact Information
- Email: TripTicketSupport@tpwd.texas.gov
- Dickinson Office: 281-534-0117
- Rockport Office: 361-729-2328
Important Notes
- Reports must be filed every month, even if no activity occurred.
- All records must be retained for two years.
- Filing an incorrect or false report is unlawful.
Last Updated: February 2026