January 31, 2019 - Bowfishermen could soon be banned from taking alligator gar at night on all Texas waters as part of a proposed regulation change recently introduced by inland fisheries managers with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
The night time ban on shooting the fish with bows and arrows was one in a series of alligator gar regulation changes officially proposed during a Jan. 23 TPW Commission work session held in Austin. The list of proposed changes also includes placing the section of Trinity River from the I-30 bridge in Dallas to the I-10 bridge in Chambers County under a four-foot maximum length limit on alligator gar and leaving the current one-fish daily bag limit in place.
Additionally, TPWD is proposing the implementation of a mandatory reporting requirement for alligator gar harvested on all Texas waters, excluding Lake Falcon. Mandatory reporting would require anglers to report each harvest within 24 hours online via a mobile app. It could potentially be a useful tool to help scientists track how many big alligator gar are being harvested, where they are being taken and the primary harvest methods.
The four-foot maximum length limit and mandatory reporting segments of the proposal were previewed to the commission last November. Ken Kurzawski, TPWD Inland Fisheries Director of Information and Regulations, said the possible night time ban on bowfishing for alligator gar was added to the proposal prior to the recent work session.
"It was a last minute addition," said Kurzawski.
In addressing the commission, Kurzawski said "you have given us additional input with concerns about potential over harvest during periods of potential vulnerability and suggest prohibiting the statewide take of alligator gar by bow fishing at night. Limiting the use of bows to daylight hours, similar to legal shooting hours for hunting, could be considered to address that concern."
TPW Commission Chairman Ralph Duggins also asked Kurzawski to evaluate the logistics of creating a limited draw system for non-transferable alligator gar permits, should the Trinity River proposal pass and be expanded statewide.
"We have discussed some of those various methods to limit the harvest of alligator gar, especially those larger fish," Kurzawski said. "That's something we could dive back into."
Alligator gar are a long-lived fish known to reach lengths of eight feet and weights beyond 300 pounds during a slow growth life cycle that can last for decades. Texas is believed to be one of nation's last strongholds for the prehistoric-looking fish, which require specific spawning conditions that don't exist every year. The Trinity River is a well known hotspot for big ones.
It should be noted that TPWD fisheries managers usually don't suggest making such drastic changes in harvest recommendations without solid research data to back it up. Interestingly, there is no concrete data to suggest the Trinity River alligator gar population is in trouble, or that a more restrictive regulation is necessary to sustain it.
The alligator gar proposal is currently open for public comment and will also be taken to public hearings later this spring. The TPW Commission will vote on the proposal at its March meeting. If adopted, the new regulation will take effect, Sept. 1.
Online public comments should be directed to Ken Kurzawski, ken.kurzawski@tpwd.texas.gov or Dave Terre, dave.terre@tpwd.texas.gov.
