TPWD News Digest for July 2-9, 2010

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TPWD News Digest for July 2-9, 2010

July 9, 2010
Gulf of Mexico Shrimp Season Opens July 15
AUSTIN ­ The Gulf of Mexico commercial shrimp season for both state and federal waters will open 30 minutes after sunset Thursday, July 15.

July 8, 2010
Biologists sampling Texas coast to prepare for oil spill impacts ­ Teams collect environmental samples at 21 locations in advance of Deepwater Horizon spill impacts
AUSTIN – Texas Parks and Wildlife Department biologists are working their way down the state’s long coast line collecting environmental samples so that a baseline record is available to gauge any impact in Texas from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The effort is part of a plan developed by multiple natural resource trustee agencies in coordination with BP.

July 7, 2010 ­ Bundled Plain Text
Legendary Angler-Artist to be Featured at July Event at TFFC
ATHENS­Professional angler and artist Judy Wong of Many, Louisiana, will be a featured exhibitor at the Art’s Better Outside show and Wildlife Forever State-Fish Art Contest national expo at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center July 17. She will show and sell her wildlife art and demonstrate fishing techniques.
July Issue of TP&W Magazine Explores Why Water Matters in Texas
Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine’s ninth annual water issue is on the newsstand now and is a useful resource to engage readers with current water issues that affect their lives. The issue “Why Water Matters” provides useful background information for reporters on environment, outdoors and region beats, and it features stories that could prompt editorial opinion pieces about water issues in Texas. The full text of the issue is also available on the magazine’s Web site.



All TPWD News Releases are available online: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/newsmedia/releases/



News Briefs



Game Wardens Ready to Assist in Flood Rescue

Texas Game Wardens with boats and flood rescue training have been helping flood-stricken residents along the Rio Grande as part of a multi-agency emergency response team. Heavy rain from Hurricane Alex last week followed by more rain from a Tropical Depression in recent days has caused record flooding along the rio, the worst in decades. Hardest hit are riverside communities downstream of Amistad and Falcon reservoirs, especially Laredo but also Del Rio and other towns. Dozens of residents evacuated from their homes have sought aid in shelters, some hotels and businesses right on the river had to close, as did some international bridges