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Be a Family of Conservationists
Texas offers many opportunities to enjoy the natural wonders and beauty of our great state. As saltwater enthusiasts, we enjoy some of the richest resources to be found anywhere in the world. As our population continues to grow and ever-increasing numbers travel to the coast, we must put our best foot forward in the effort to educate all users in the importance of the conserving our coastal resources.
The “best foot” is often the one each and every one of us stands upon within our immediate families and circles of friends. Our families are the most important people we can educate encourage to take part in this conservation effort. Many opportunities exist for all of us to be a family of conservationists.
First, get the family involved. What better way than to spend a day on the water with your family and loved ones. Teach them what the different parts of the coastal ecosystem are and why each part has its own individual importance to the survival of the system as a whole.
Take them to Sea Center Texas and give them an even closer look at the Texas coastal ecosystem. Sea Center offers a variety of activities and tours within the facility. This is a great opportunity to see a close-up view of the coastal ecosystem from the brackish estuaries to the deep blue waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
Other facilities you can visit include the Texas State Aquarium in Corpus Christi and the Aquarium in Rockport. How about taking part in a marsh replenishment project such as Marsh Mania put on by the Galveston Bay Foundation? This project will have multiple marsh restoration grass planting projects on May 31 2008 so be sure to check out www.galvbay.org for more information about contacts, locations and times.
How about a beach cleanup project? Several beach cleanup projects occur annually up and down the Texas coast and are sponsored by many different groups and agencies. Just the simple act of stopping while out on a family fishing trip to pick up some trash along a bay shoreline will instill the importance of conservation in a young family’s daily routine.
Conservation is so much more than not keeping all the fish you can catch in a day. It is teaching our families to care for a resource that has been given to us and why we have to take care of it now for future generations to enjoy.
Many of us fall into the routine of fishing with hardcore angling buddies, dedicating every trip to the pursuit of trophy fish, or fueling that internal competitive fire by fishing every tournament we can. Take some time every so often to schedule a trip with your kids and others and instead of being in a hurry, just let the beauty of the coastal resources soak in. You never know what you might see or learn.
The CCA Texas, State of Texas Anglers Rodeo (S.T.A.R.), offers a great opportunity to get the family involved. The tournament runs from Memorial Day weekend (May 24th) all the way to Labor Day weekend (September 1st) and offers over $1,000,000 in prizes.
S.T.A.R. prizes include boats, trucks, and most importantly, scholarship opportunities in seven different divisions for youths aged six to seventeen. Within these seven divisions, there are nine scholarships totaling $270,000 and an additional $20,000 scholarship opportunity for every youth entered into the tournament through a single random drawing.
The youth division of S.T.A.R. has awarded $3,185,000 in scholarships in the last twelve years. For more information on the STAR tournament, its sponsors and donors, rules and entries, be sure to visit www.ccatexas.org and click on the S.T.A.R. tab.
Conserving today is the only guarantee of a plentiful resource for future generations to enjoy. We must continue to educate our families and friends so that our grandchildren and their grandchildren will able to enjoy the fisheries and other wonders of our as we have. For more information about CCA Texas, be sure to visit www.ccatexas.org.
The “best foot” is often the one each and every one of us stands upon within our immediate families and circles of friends. Our families are the most important people we can educate encourage to take part in this conservation effort. Many opportunities exist for all of us to be a family of conservationists.
First, get the family involved. What better way than to spend a day on the water with your family and loved ones. Teach them what the different parts of the coastal ecosystem are and why each part has its own individual importance to the survival of the system as a whole.
Take them to Sea Center Texas and give them an even closer look at the Texas coastal ecosystem. Sea Center offers a variety of activities and tours within the facility. This is a great opportunity to see a close-up view of the coastal ecosystem from the brackish estuaries to the deep blue waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
Other facilities you can visit include the Texas State Aquarium in Corpus Christi and the Aquarium in Rockport. How about taking part in a marsh replenishment project such as Marsh Mania put on by the Galveston Bay Foundation? This project will have multiple marsh restoration grass planting projects on May 31 2008 so be sure to check out www.galvbay.org for more information about contacts, locations and times.
How about a beach cleanup project? Several beach cleanup projects occur annually up and down the Texas coast and are sponsored by many different groups and agencies. Just the simple act of stopping while out on a family fishing trip to pick up some trash along a bay shoreline will instill the importance of conservation in a young family’s daily routine.
Conservation is so much more than not keeping all the fish you can catch in a day. It is teaching our families to care for a resource that has been given to us and why we have to take care of it now for future generations to enjoy.
Many of us fall into the routine of fishing with hardcore angling buddies, dedicating every trip to the pursuit of trophy fish, or fueling that internal competitive fire by fishing every tournament we can. Take some time every so often to schedule a trip with your kids and others and instead of being in a hurry, just let the beauty of the coastal resources soak in. You never know what you might see or learn.
The CCA Texas, State of Texas Anglers Rodeo (S.T.A.R.), offers a great opportunity to get the family involved. The tournament runs from Memorial Day weekend (May 24th) all the way to Labor Day weekend (September 1st) and offers over $1,000,000 in prizes.
S.T.A.R. prizes include boats, trucks, and most importantly, scholarship opportunities in seven different divisions for youths aged six to seventeen. Within these seven divisions, there are nine scholarships totaling $270,000 and an additional $20,000 scholarship opportunity for every youth entered into the tournament through a single random drawing.
The youth division of S.T.A.R. has awarded $3,185,000 in scholarships in the last twelve years. For more information on the STAR tournament, its sponsors and donors, rules and entries, be sure to visit www.ccatexas.org and click on the S.T.A.R. tab.
Conserving today is the only guarantee of a plentiful resource for future generations to enjoy. We must continue to educate our families and friends so that our grandchildren and their grandchildren will able to enjoy the fisheries and other wonders of our as we have. For more information about CCA Texas, be sure to visit www.ccatexas.org.