Passport to Texas

SOS: Save Our Sharks

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As marine predators go, sharks swim at the top of the food chain.

08—Without having these top end Apex predators, you have the ecosystem that gets out of balance, These predators help control everything below them.

But they can’t control what’s below them if they’re gone.

07—Worldwide, sharks have been depleted by overfishing. Between 30 and 70 million sharks [are] killed by humans every year.

Dr. Greg Stunz is a marine biologist with the Harte Research Institute, and appears the week of February 1 on a For Texas Parks and Wildlife PBS TV segment called SOS: Save Our Sharks.

08—One of the things that has contributed to a decline in sharks is shark finning: fishermen actually catch the sharks, cut their fins off, and discard the body.

Illegal in American waters since 1993, finning remains active in foreign waters, as fishermen earn up to $900 a pound for the fins. Illegal fishing on gear called long lines occurs close to home, too; it’s the most immediate threat to sharks in the U.S. says Game Warden Sgt. Luis Sosa.

12—We’ve got Mexican commercial fishermen that come into US water – Texas waters – on a daily basis. Unfortunately, the most common type of species that is being caught on this illegal gear is sharks.

Save Our Sharks airs the Week of February 1 on PBS stations. Check Local listings. The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration program supports our series, and receives funding through your purchase of fishing and hunting equipment and motor boat fuel…

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

Texas Parks & Wildlife patrol in the Gulf of Mexico near the Mexican border.

Game Wardens: Gillnets Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This is Passport to Texas

Gillnets are vertical panels of netting used by some commercial fishermen; they arbitrarily catch fish and other wildlife, and are illegal in Texas waters. During an enhanced marine patrol last fall, Texas Game Wardens seized roughly 8,000 feet of gillnet.

07— The gillnets were actually in the Rio Grande River, which is a fertile ecosystem that feeds to the Gulf of Mexico.

Captain James Dunks, a Game Warden in the Brownsville District in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, says they made no arrests in this Class B misdemeanor case, but he’s certain who owned the nets.

27— There’s a commercial fishing village just south of the Mexico border; it’s called La Playa Bagdad. And basically all it is, is a commercial fishing camp; they have a bunch of boats and captains that are fishing out of that area. We chase them, and we catch a few. The coast guard catches a few. And every time you interview one, you ask them why do you keep coming over here. And they’ll tell you they don’t have any fish left. So, they’re having to utilize our resources for their personal gain.

Captain Dunks says these fishermen are after whatever they can sell, saying bull sharks are close to shore these days, and with shark fin soup a delicacy…

06— They’ll take them right up to the beach, cut the fins off, and I’ve heard of them discarding the actual shark – just to cut the fins off.

Anyone who witnesses alleged illegal commercial fishing activity is encouraged to call their local game warden or Operation Game Thief.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

Texas Game Wardens on the water.

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Texas Game Wardens cover a lot of ground; and sometimes that “ground” is water.

07— Basically what we are looking for is anything out of the ordinary that you could find out in the water; it could be a coke bottle floating.

Those bottles may look like trash, says Captain James Dunks, Game Warden in the Brownsville District in the Lower Rio Grande Valley—but they’re not.

09— Sometimes you’ll have a line tied to the coke bottle, and it will go all the way to the bottom; it could be a two mile section of long line that is on the bottom, and it’s just marked by a coke bottle.

Texas waters extend nine nautical miles offshore, and game wardens patrol all of it. When they find long lines, which are illegal in Texas and US waters, they pull them up.

25— Basically what it is, it’s a bottom line. And they’re usually set a mile long, and they have a series of hooks that are baited. And, it sits right down on the bottom, and whatever comes by and eats that bait is going to get hooked. And typically what they’re after is sharks, reef fish such as snapper; occasionally you’ll find a tarpon hooked on them. I’ve seen sea turtles; I’ve even seen blue marlin hooked on these long lines within our nine mile jurisdiction.

By thwarting illegal gulf fishing, Game Wardens help preserve Texas’ ecosystems and resources. But long lines aren’t the only threat to marine species; details tomorrow.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

TPW TV: Fitting in Standing Out Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

When you’re on the water this summer, or any time, and a Texas Game Warden approaches your boat – relax. They’re just looking out for your safety. [03 ambience]

07— How’re y’all doin’ today? Fine. How’re y’all doin? Pretty good. We’re doing a water safety check; if I could see one life jacket for each person on board, please. You betcha.

[03 ambience] Cynthia Guajardo is an East Texas Game Warden who lives in the community she serves. Keeping her neighbors safe on the water is part of her job.

08— Do you have your fire extinguisher? Yes ma’am. Have a seat for me. Here it is. Will you have a seat for me? I don’t want you fallin’.

In addition, Officer Guajardo works with philanthropic organizations in her community to raise money to take children from Cherokee County to an outdoor camp in Central Texas.

07— I enjoy it. There’s nothing like seeing a kid do something that they’ve never done before and seeing the look on their face is priceless; it’s worth all the months of preparation.

As a game warden she straddles the line between law officer and educator. And you can see more of her story on the Texas Parks and Wildlife PBS TV series the week of June 1.

13— Being a game warden is a large part of who I am. Where else can you have the freedom that we have in law enforcement, which I love, and deal with the outdoors and have the freedom to educate kids. I mean, it’s a bunch of different jobs rolled into one. You can’t beat it.

Our show receives funding from Ram Trucks. Guts. Glory. Ram. For Texas Parks and Wildlife, I’m Cecilia Nasti.

TPW TV Inspiring Family and Community Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Texas game Wardens live in the communities they serve, and their success hinges on developing good relationships with residents. This month on the TPW TV Series, producer Ron Kabele introduces viewers to game warden Shawn Hervey. And in his case…good relationships begin at home.

Well, Shawn is a game warden up in Texarkana. And the thing that he’s really known for in the community is taking a lot of the local kids out hunting. And a lot of these kids, they’ve never been exposed to nature or they’ve never seen a deer, or they have no concept of what stewardship is.

It was just so out of the blue that he said that. And when you think about that, if a son thinks that, and is able to verbalize that, what is that game warden doing to the community? And that’s really what Shawn does—he inspires people.

This segment airs the week of December 25 on PBS stations in Texas. Check your local listings.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti