Passport to Texas

Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife and the Sport Fish Restoration Program

The population of southern flounder in the gulf is…well… floundering.

The populations are down in the bay systems across the board for the southern flounder.

Robert Adami coordinates Coastal Bay Team fishing events, where two-person teams of experienced anglers, catch specific species for the hatchery program. In spring, teams reel in spotted sea trout, and in fall, southern flounder.

Sometimes the more experienced anglers can go out to the spots they know are good gathering spots for southern flounder. Usually those guys can get the fish and bring them to us rather quickly. They also know how to handle the fish in terms of care, transportation and trying to get them to us in the best possible health.

Participation is free. Adami says almost as soon as anglers catch them – the flounder start their new lives.

Immediately we’re going to be putting them right into spawning tanks in Sea Center Texas and in Corpus Christi to be used, hopefully, for next year’s spawning program.

Saturday morning Froggy’s Bait Doc in Port O’Conner is the staging area for the event, and next Saturday, Boyd’s One-Stop in Texas City closes this year’s Coastal Bay Team opportunities.

Find full details – including the prizes for participating anglers — at passporttotexas.org.

That’s our show… with support from the Sport Fish Restoration Program…which provides funding for Sea Center Texas… For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.
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Coastal Fisheries Bay Team Fishing Tournament — Experienced anglers are invited to help us collect southern flounder for our hatcheries. Tournament is open to 30 two-person teams, on a first-come, first-serve basis.

All entrants must be 21 or older.

Participants may turn in up to three fish. Anglers turning in fish will be entered in three different drawings for fishing gear. Participants not turning in fish will be entered in a separate drawing for fishing prizes.

All participants will receive a shirt and cap.

The prizes, equipment and program are made possible through support from Anheuser-Busch, Inc. Held at Froggies Bait Doc in Port O’Conner on November 3rd, and at Boyd’s One- Stop in Texas City on November 10th; register at the tournament.

For more information, or if you want to become a member of the Coastal Fisheries Bay Team, send an e-mail to Robert Adami at robert.adami at tpwd.state.tx.us with your name, address and daytime phone number and which tournament you can fish or call him at (361) 939-8745.

Coastal Bay Team Fishing Event: Southern Flounder Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife

The PBS series from Parks and Wildlife is in the second month of a new season – and November does not disappoint. Series producer, Don Cash, highlights some upcoming shows.

We start off with a story about alligators. The alligator population had been reduced greatly by over hunting years back. And the alligator is making a great come back.

Uh, it appears that they are moving further inland because of the destruction of the habitat here in this coastal area here.

Also in November, we have a feature on the fires in the Panhandle in March of 2006 that burned pretty close to a million acres.

We’ve got a really good story in November also on Game Wardens. We seem to do a lot of stuff with game wardens, but they are generally pretty interesting folks and have pretty interesting jobs.

Good morning. State game warden. How’re you doing this morning. Wondering if we can take a look at your fish here. That’s okay? Thank you sir.

We end the month to the Hill Country State Natural Area. It’s just absolutely beautiful and quite primitive. So, if you go to the Hill Country State Natural Area and you want something – you better bring it.

Thanks, Don. Visit passporttotexas.org for a complete listing of stations that broadcast the series.

That’s our show for today…for Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.
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Texas Parks and Wildlife on PBS and Cable
Stations and Air Times
Times and dates are subject to change, especially during PBS membership drives.

• Amarillo, KACV-TV, Channel 2: October–March, Saturday 6 p.m.
• Austin, KLRU-TV, Channel 18: Monday, 12:30 p.m.; Friday 5:30 a.m.; Sunday, 9 a.m. KLRU2, Cable 20: Tuesday, 11 p.m.
• Bryan-College Station, KAMU-TV, Channel 15: Sunday, 5 p.m.; Thursday, 7 p.m.
• Corpus Christi, KEDT-TV, Channel 16: Sunday, 12 p.m.; Friday, 2 p.m.
• Dallas-Fort Worth, KERA-TV, Channel 13: October–March, Saturday, 6 p.m. Also serving Abilene, Denton, Longview, Marshall, San Angelo, Texarkana, Tyler, Wichita Falls and Sherman.
• El Paso, KCOS-TV, Channel 13: Saturday, 3 p.m.
• Harlingen, KMBH-TV, Channel 60: Sunday, 5 p.m. Also serving McAllen, Mission and Brownsville.
• Houston, KUHT-TV, Channel 8: Saturday, 3:30 p.m.; Friday 1:30 p.m. Also serving Beaumont, Port Arthur, Galveston, Texas City and Victoria.
• Killeen, KNCT-TV, Channel 46: Sunday, 5 p.m. Also serving Temple.
• Lubbock, KTXT-TV, Channel 5: Saturday, 10 a.m.
• Odessa-Midland, KPBT-TV, Channel 36: Saturday, 4:30 p.m.
• San Antonio and Laredo, KLRN-TV, Channel 9: Sunday, 1 p.m.
• Waco, KWBU-TV, Channel 34: Saturday, 3 p.m.
• Portales, New Mexico, KENW-TV, Channel 3: Sunday, 2:30 p.m.
• The New York Network, NYN, Thursday 8:30 p.m.; Saturday 2:30 p.m. Serving the Albany area.

Cable

Texas Parks & Wildlife can also be seen on a variety of government, educational and access cable channels in the following communities: Abilene, Allen, Atlanta, Boerne, Collin County Community College, Coppell, Del Mar College, Denton, Flower Mound, Frisco, Garland, Irving, McKinney, North Richland Hills, Plano, Rogers State University, Texarkana College, The Colony, Tyler, Waco and Wichita Falls. Check your local listings for days and times.

TPW TV - November Highlights Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife and the Wildlife Restoration Program

You’ll find thirteen species of horned lizards in North America.

Texas actually has three species of horned lizards.

And the one known as the Texas horned lizard – or horny toad — is disappearing from its historic range.

The Texas horned lizard has really utilized a variety of habitats, because it was once found across most of the state, with the exception of, maybe, far east/southeast Texas.

Lee Ann Linam coordinates the Texas Horned Lizard Watch, and is president for the Horned Lizard Conservation Society. A new survey project is underway through the Society, which encourages volunteers to survey rural cemeteries for the spiny lizard.

A lot of these rural cemeteries actually retain a lot of native habitat. And just recently one of our members of the Horned Lizard Conservation Society, http://www.hornedlizards.org/, came up with an idea, based upon some of his experiences, that these lightly maintained, semi-native habitats might be good habitat for horned lizards.

The information gathered will help researchers understand the animal’s needs, and factors surrounding its decline. There’s more information at passporttotexas.org.

That’s our show… we receive support from the Wildlife restoration Program… working to increase conservation efforts in Texas.

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

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