TX Coastal Freeze Kill-Update & Interview

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The record-setting freeze event that struck Texas Sunday, has taken a dark turn along the coast as fish kills have been reported from Lower Laguna Madre to the Port O’Connor area.

In his latest Higher Calling Gulf Coast podcast, Chester Moore interviews Dr. David McKee, professor of biology and mariculture and author of Fishes of the Texas Laguna Madre.  Learn about the similarities between this freeze event and other major freezes, a story of three 15-pound trout caught in a past survey and why we should not assume the worst of this freeze has shown up in the bays just yet. Listen via the player below.

Texas has about two million acres of bays and estuaries susceptible to freeze. There were three major ones during the 1980s, including one in 1989 when the temperature at Brownsville dropped to 16 degrees and an estimated 11 million fish were killed in the catastrophic event. The last time there was a closure due to freezing temperatures was in January 2018. That one did not kill significant numbers of fish.

Anglers and coastal residents can report any cold weather related fish kills or large numbers of sluggish or cold-stunned fish by contacting TPWD’s Law Enforcement Communications office at (281) 842-8100 or (512) 389-4848.

Texas has about two million acres of bays and estuaries susceptible to free. There were three major feezes during the 1980s, including one in 1989 when the temperature at Brownsville dropped to 16 degrees and an estimated 11 million fish were killed in the freeze event. The last time there was a closure due to freezing temperatures was in January 2018. That freeze did not kill significant numbers of fish.

Anglers and coastal residents can report any frze related fish kills or large numbers of sluggish or cold-stunned fish by contacting TPWD’s Law Enforcement Communications office at (281) 842-8100 or (512) 389-4848.aw Enforcement Communications office at (281) 842-8100 or (512) 389-4848.

 

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4 Comments

  1. Randolph Holford says:

    Excellent podcast! Sportsmen, it is up to us to aid in the recovery. Practice Catch & Release for the next 2 years. If you keep any only keep injured fish. As Billy Sandifer always said “If we don’t leave any there won’t be any”. It’s up to us!

  2. Derek Debowski says:

    Purchased the doctor’s book immediately after listening. Very much appreciated his insight please have him back on when the overall impact of this event is more assessable.

  3. Gregzzz says:

    Total bs… the fish it killed here were in the lakes. Seen it 5 times. THATS NOT ALL THE FISH THERE IS!! Wait til mid March and we wont be even talking about this. These ” experts ” are idiots. Been on the coast here 45 years. The snow of 2004… Pringle lake… wiped out. No social media craze then either.. guess what? 3 weeks later were catching tons of fish there. Same thing this time. Plus this was gradual so a lot if those fish moved deep. Duh.. wasn’t an over night freeze.

  4. Gregzzz says:

    You go right ahead. I’ll be keeping what I want to and there will be PLENTY OF FISH!!