The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) Dickinson Bayou Wetlands Restoration Project will utilize a previously proven technology and conservation approach to maximize the restoration of up to 10 acres of intertidal marsh complex habitat and enhancement and protection for up to 17.7 acres of existing intertidal emergent marsh. This technology and conservation approach has been extensively used for restoring wetlands and enhancing fish and wildlife habitats during the widening and deepening of the Houston Ship Channel.
This project includes constructing approximately 2,405 linear feet of earthen containment berms and 1,818 linear feet of rock armored earthen berms to protect the 27.7 acre restoration site. Approximately 28,521 cubic yards of clay material will be used to construct three containment areas, and approximately 6,545 tons of limestone rock will be placed on the outer slopes of these earthen containment berms. Intertidal marsh complex will be created inside these containment units by mechanically or hydraulically dredging approximately 81,735 cubic yards of material from the shallow water areas within the main channel, designated as the project’s borrow site. These sediments will be placed at specific elevations to create intertidal and high level marsh habitat.
“Without this project,” said Jan Culbertson, Coastal Ecologist for TPWD Coastal Fisheries, “the existing marsh would be lost through conversion to open water habitat in the next 25 years.” Read More
Historic partnership with CCA habitat program to continue another three years
HOUSTON, TX (11-6-13) – Coastal Conservation Association and Shell Oil Company have announced an extension of their unique partnership that has already produced more than a dozen significant marine habitat restoration projects along the Gulf Coast over the past two years. Shell’s decision to fund $500,000 over each of the next three years will enable CCA’s Building Conservation Trust to continue providing vital funding for grassroots-driven marine habitat projects.
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The latest CCA Texas Habitat Today for Fish Tomorrow (HTFT) project is the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s (TPWD) Corpus Christi Nearshore Reefing site. The project involves pyramids that are being deployed in Corpus Christi. They are currently staged, and once the first load of concrete materials are deployed, the pyramids – which CCA Texas helped pay for – will go out next. There are 470 pyramids, and these will be deployed offshore in a TPWD permitted reefing site. Read More
Pledge of $5,200 will Support Interns for 2014
Houston, Texas – As part of its ongoing commitment to conserve and enhance the state’s marine resource, Coastal Conservation Association Texas has announced that it will fund two Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) Law Enforcement (LE) Summer Internships for candidates who are on the career path to become Texas Game Wardens.
$100,000 contribution ensures the vision of permitted sites off every port in Texas
Port O’Connor, Texas – Coastal Conservation Association Texas recently announced support for the creation of a nearshore reefing site out of Port O’Connor as the next step in its goal to create a vibrant reef system in state offshore waters. A key element in this overall reefing plan is having designated areas out of every major port on the Texas coast to place artificial reefs. CCA Texas’ Habitat Today for Fish Tomorrow Program (HTFT) has funded a $100,000 joint effort with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) to create a new nearshore reefing site.
$75,000 contribution from CCA Texas
makes an impact on the project’s initial phase
Corpus Christi, Texas – The Department of Life Sciences at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi and the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies began the restoration of eight-acres of oyster reef, in two different locations, on Wednesday, Aug 28, 2013.
The project is coordinated by Dr. Jennifer Pollack, Assistant Professor of Marine Biology and Gail Sutton, Assistant Director of the Harte Research Institute as part of the “Sink Your Shucks” initiative.
Game Fish for All
CCA Texas is featured on page 14-15 of the special 50th Anniversary issue of the Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine. The article “Game Fish for All” discusses CCA and CCA Texas’ work through supporting research and partnerships to keep the gulf and bays stocked for anglers. The article takes a look at the work that has been done in the past four decades.
This issue of the magazine can be viewed online here: www.tpwmagazine.com/digital/2013/jul_50
Gulf Senators file Gulf of Mexico Red Snapper Conservation Act of 2013
WASHINGTON DC (6-13-2013) – Sens. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) filed legislation today that seeks to transfer responsibility for the management of Gulf red snapper to the Gulf states. The legislation (S.1161)comes two months after the governors of four Gulf states released a joint letter to the leadership of the U.S. House and Senate stating that federal management of Gulf red snapper is “irretrievably broken,” and calling for a coordinated Gulf states partnership for red snapper management.
“The red snapper fishery is tremendously complicated and has lurched from crisis to crisis under federal management with no end in sight,” said Chester Brewer, chairman of the National Government Relations Committee for Coastal Conservation Association. “We commend Sen. Landrieu for taking the lead to work through the complexity of this issue. She invested a great deal of time to craft a balanced, workable solution that allows the Gulf States to develop a new management approach.”
Federal management of red snapper reached a new low in 2013 when the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council announced the shortest season ever, even though the snapper population is booming. In response, Louisiana, Florida and Mississippi announced various actions to join Texas’ long-standing rejection of federal regulations in state waters, prompting federal authorities to implement punitive measures for those states. Using an emergency rule process, the National Marine Fisheries Service reduced the recreational season to nine days off Louisiana and 12 days off Texas. Both states sued and a federal court overturned the action. The recreational season is now set at 28 days Gulf-wide.
“The reality is that federal fisheries management has a credibility problem. Red snapper has been under federal management for decades and our season this year is 28 days. No one should be satisfied with these results,” said Brewer. “We are grateful that Sen. Landrieu, Sen. Wicker and the Gulf governors heard the concerns of their citizens and pledged to find a better way.”
The Gulf of Mexico Red Snapper Conservation Act (S.1161) would establish a coordinated Gulf states partnership for red snapper management in which the states would fully comply with a management plan approved and adopted by the Gulf States Marines Fisheries Commission with minimal oversight from the federal government. The partnership would be similar to how striped bass are managed on the East Coast through the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.
“State-based fishery management has proven to be far more effective, and has engineered some of the greatest marine conservation victories in the country,” said Brewer. “We have faith in the states to be philosophically capable of not only conserving and managing robust fisheries, but also providing greater access to those resources for their citizens.”
For more information about this effort, be sure to visit http://www.cbbep.org/projectsbaffinbay.html
Department’s $250,000 commitment, coupled with $100,000 from CCA National habitat program, brings restoration project closer to reality
AUSTIN, TX – Ongoing funding efforts to restore Cedar Bayou have received a significant boost with a $250,000 commitment from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and a $100,000 contribution from the Building Conservation Trust, CCA’s national habitat program. The funding will go to support the work being done by Aransas County, Coastal Conservation Association Texas and other partners to open the pass between Matagorda and San Jose Islands. Read More
Superstars highlight 2nd Annual CCA Texas Concert for Conservation
Dwight Yoakam, Robert Earl Keen headline May 18 event
HOUSTON (March 7, 2013) — Tickets are on sale now for the second annual Concert for Conservation scheduled for Saturday, May 18, at Sam Houston Race Park. This year, Coastal Conservation Association Texas (CCA Texas) has partnered with Sam Houston Race Park to put together a superstar lineup that will offer fans a wide variety of country music from featured artists Dwight Yoakam, Robert Earl Keen, Hayes Carll and Ray Willie Hubbard. Read More
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