AUSTIN Over the past 20 years, the Texas Freshwater Fish Stamp has been instrumental in advancing the management and conservation of freshwater fisheries resources in the state.
Established by the 78th Texas Legislature in 2004, the stamp has generated more than $130 million in funding dedicated to the construction, renovation, and operations of Texas freshwater fish hatcheries, construction and renovation of other facilities dedicated to the management and conservation of freshwater fisheries resources, and the expansion of angler access and enhancement of fish habitats in Texas public waters.
The $5 Freshwater Fish Stamp is included with the purchase of all freshwater fishing licenses. It replaced a $7 Freshwater Trout Stamp, which was sold from 1985-2003 supplemental to a freshwater fishing license to enable Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) to purchase rainbow trout from coldwater fish hatcheries outside the state. Those fish were stocked in Texas creeks, rivers, and community fishing lakes to sustain popular winter trout fishing opportunities throughout the state. The winter trout program continues to be supported by the Freshwater Fish Stamp.
Funds made possible through the Freshwater Fish Stamp have enabled TPWD to purchase fish as needed to supplement production of the state fish hatchery system, but the central purpose of the stamp has been to construct new and to renovate and repair the state’s existing freshwater fish hatcheries.
With aging infrastructure, advancements in fish hatchery technologies and practices, and related modernization needs, each of TPWD’s five freshwater fish hatcheries has received Freshwater Fish Stamp investments to renovate, repair, or upgrade facilities. Projects have included installation of new water intakes, upgrades to water treatment and filtration systems, construction of a new water supply reservoir, replacement of pond liners, and construction of new fish spawning, nursery, and grow-out facilities.
In the 20 years that the Freshwater Fish Stamp has been supporting facility improvements, Texas freshwater fish hatcheries have produced and stocked half a billion fish in over one thousand waterbodies through the state.
The Freshwater Fish Stamp also funded construction of the John D. Parker East Texas Fish Hatchery, which draws its source water from Sam Rayburn Reservoir. Built as a replacement for the aging Jasper State Fish Hatchery, it has raised and stocked 37.5 million fish in Texas public waters since opening in 2012.
“The Freshwater Fish Stamp has been absolutely vital to sustaining recreationally and economically important fisheries throughout Texas,” said Tim Birdsong, Director of TPWD’s Inland Fisheries Division. “Texas has 4.1 million anglers who spend $11.1 billion annually going fishing. Without dedicated funding to maintain our state hatchery system, put-grow-take fisheries for species such as striped bass, hybrid striped bass (striped bass x white bass), and rainbow trout could not be sustained.”
Popular programs such as the ShareLunker and Neighborhood Fishin’ programs are also sustained with Fish Stamp funds.
“Public fisheries resources sustained and managed by TPWD provide billions of dollars in economic impacts to local surrounding communities statewide,” added Birdsong.“The annual economic impact of the Lake Texoma striped bass fishery alone is valued at over $46 million, and similar studies of largemouth bass fisheries at individual lakes have been valued at $19 to $47 million annually.”
Two additional major legislative milestones have occurred in the life of the Freshwater Fish Stamp. In 2011, anglers supported lifting the original 10-year sunset provision, extending the life of the stamp into the future. In 2017, Texas anglers once again provided their support, expanding the eligible uses of stamp revenue. The expansion paved the way for investments in other needed fisheries enhancement strategies, namely fish habitat and shoreline-based angler access improvements.
Funded primarily through the Freshwater Fish Stamp, TPWD launched the Habitat and Angler Access Program (HAAP) in 2021 to focus on shoreline-based angler access and enhance freshwater fish habitats on public creeks, rivers, ponds and lakes throughout the state. HAAP facilitates cooperation between TPWD Inland Fisheries Division biologists and local partners to improve fishing for all Texans. Since 2023, the program has supported 32 projects with more than $1 million of funding from the sale of freshwater fishing licenses and more than $1.9 million of matching support from partners.
The dedicated funds from the Freshwater Fish Stamp have made an indelible mark on Texas fisheries and the landscape of fishing in the state. The freshwater anglers who buy licenses each year play a pivotal role to provide world class fishing in Texas for the current and future generations of anglers.
