Texas Parks and Wildlife Code 66.024 – Seagrass Plants
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(a) In this section, “seagrass plant” means a flowering marine plant of the species:
(1) Cymodocea filiformis, known as manatee grass;
(2) Halodule beaudettei or Halodule wrightii, known as shoal grass;
(3) Halophila engelmannii, known as star grass or Engelmann’s seagrass;
(4) Ruppia maritima, known as widgeon grass; or
(5) Thalassia testudinum, known as turtle grass.
(b) A person may not uproot or dig out any rooted seagrass plant from a bay bottom or other saltwater bottom area in the jurisdiction of this state by means of a propeller, except as that uprooting or digging out may be authorized by a commercial license or permit issued by the department.
Terms Used In Texas Parks and Wildlife Code 66.024
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- Person: includes corporation, organization, government or governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, association, and any other legal entity. See Texas Government Code 311.005
(c) It is a defense to prosecution under this section that a person:
(1) anchors a vessel within an area containing seagrass plants and uproots a seagrass plant;
(2) uses an electric trolling motor within an area containing seagrass plants and uproots a seagrass plant; or
(3) operates a vessel in a manner consistent with the acceleration required to reach and stay on plane.
(d) A person who violates this section or a proclamation of the commission under this section commits an offense that is a Class C Parks and Wildlife Code misdemeanor.