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Ladies and gentlemen,
Bowfishing is a rapidly growing sport in Texas that combines elements of fishing and archery. It is a family friendly sport exciting enough to keep younger children engaged and can also provide parents an opportunity to connect with their children or simply relax and enjoy time with friends. Bowfishers, by regulation, fish for nongame fish such as gar, carp, and tilapia. Some of these fish are excellent table fare.
Bowfishing provides additional revenue for the Texas Parks and Wildlife service. Bowfishing can take pressure off of common game species. Bowfishing also makes species often considered ‘trash’ a valuable asset for Texas. As you can see bowfishing is a valuable sport.
There is currently a proposal to add catfish to the list of bowfishing game fish. Some anglers will argue that bowfishing will put excessive pressure on catfish. Fishing bag limits are in place to avoid such situations. There is also no evidence of this from neighboring states where bowfishing for catfish is already legal. Trophy anglers complain that bowfishers cannot release their catch. As with many normal anglers, many bowfishers catch fish for consumption. Trophy anglers arguing that only they should be allowed to catch large fish is myopic. Some people also attribute dead fish left on shore to bowfishers, and suggest catfish may be treated similarly. Waste of fish should be a concern of all fishers. Page 19 of the 2006 Texas Parks and Wildlife Outdoor Annual states, “It is a violation to fail to keep all edible portions of… a fish in an edible condition.” If putting catfish on the bowfishing roster will increase revenues and allow game wardens to catch more violators of the waste of game rule, then it is a good move for Texas. |
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Aric Waldron
An angler as a child and teenager, I have recently taken up bowfishing. It is fun and exciting combining two of my favorite sports, archery and fishing. I have not let my fishing license expire since. |
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