Anglers Asked To Catch Texas Flounder

[FishNews]

AUSTIN, TX[font "Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size 2]—[/size][/font]More than 100 brood fish crucial to Texas' marine hatchery production efforts fell victim to Hurricane Katrina. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) is now attempting to replace those losses and is looking for help from experienced anglers. "What we really need help with is collecting southern flounder," says the TPWD's David Abrego. Abrego says that during the mandatory evacuation of the hatchery during the hurricane, failures in the hatchery's water pump system wiped out most of their brood fish, including 66 red drum, 48 spotted seatrout and 14 southern flounder. He says all the hatchery's aquarium fish survived. In other hurricane-related news, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has extended the deadline to apply for aid to repair properties damaged during the 2004 hurricane season. The FWC will now accept applications by mail through Nov. 15.
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