AUSTIN, Texas — Although the annual Texas Parks & Wildlife Expo will not take place in Austin this October, organizers are in effect taking the show on the road by partnering with selected stock shows, rodeos and other family-oriented cultural events to present the new Life’s Better Outside® Experience in 2010.
GALVESTON, Texas — The loss of lives and property inflicted by Hurricane Ike on Galveston Island and the upper Texas coast a year ago on Sept. 13 has been well-documented. Less known, however, is the Category 2 storm’s considerable impact on southeast Texas’ natural resources and the challenges facing those persons entrusted with returning impacted flora and fauna to health.
AUSTIN, Texas — A total of $225,000 in Texas Healthy Habitats Grants has been awarded to 15 different schools and non-profit youth organizations across the state, including near Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, Houston, Bryan, Lubbock and other cities. Each organization will receive up to $15,000 to support students doing service-learning projects to benefit wildlife and the environment.
At a time when people in big cities are becoming increasingly disconnected from the world of nature and the outdoors, Take Me Outdoors Houston on Oct. 10 at Discovery Green will offer Houston’s first free, family-oriented festival of the outdoors.
GALVESTON, Texas — A one-year undercover operation by NOAA Office of Law Enforcement’s Southeast Division in conjunction with Texas Game Wardens has netted charges against owners and operators of seven charter boats, resulting in more than $100,000 in fines for Texas-based offenders.
AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is reminding customers who want to buy lifetime hunting, fishing or combo licenses at fiscal year 2009 prices that purchase applications must be received at TPWD headquarters by Aug. 31. Applications that are post-marked by Aug. 31, but not received by this date, will not be accepted.
AUSTIN, Texas — Invasive zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) have been confirmed to have spread from Lake Texoma into the head waters of Lake Lavon, and experts fear they could eventually spread throughout the Red River and Trinity River watersheds.
The following are excerpts from recent Texas Parks and Wildlife Department law enforcement reports.
AUSTIN, Texas — Texas hunting and fishing licenses for 2009-2010 will go on sale Saturday, Aug. 15. Sportsmen are reminded all current Texas annual hunting and fishing licenses (except for the year-to-date fishing license) expire Aug. 31.
AUSTIN, Texas — A scorching one-two punch of prolonged low rainfall and record high temperatures in central and southern Texas is stressing fish and other aquatic creatures, especially rare species that depend on spring flows, and decreased river flows are sending salt content in mid-coast bays soaring. Nonetheless, biologists say fishing is actually good in many parts of Texas, and some fisheries could even improve long-term.