AI-assisted research summary: You need a general commercial fisherman’s license to operate as a commercial fisherman, and some related fishing activities are exempt or have separate license rules and fees.
Sec. 47.002. GENERAL COMMERCIAL FISHERMAN'S LICENSE. (a) No person may engage in business as a commercial fisherman unless he has obtained a general commercial fisherman's license. (b) The license fee for a general commercial fisherman's license is $15 or an amount set by the commission, whichever amount is more. (c) The license fee for a nonresident general commercial fisherman's license is $100 or an amount set by the commission, whichever amount is more. A nonresident who is residing in a state that denies the privilege of commercial fishing in that state to a Texas resident because of residency status is not eligible for a nonresident general commercial fisherman's license. (d) A person who is in a vessel licensed under this chapter as a menhaden boat and who takes menhaden is not required to obtain or possess a general commercial fisherman's license. (e) A person who catches or assists in catching shrimp on a vessel licensed as a commercial shrimp boat under Chapter 77 is not required to obtain or possess a general commercial fisherman's license. The exemption provided by this section applies even though aquatic life other than shrimp are caught if that catching is incidental to lawful shrimping. (f) A person who takes or assists in taking oysters on a vessel licensed as a commercial oyster boat under Chapter 76 is required to obtain or possess a general commercial fisherman's license. This subsection does not apply to the holder of a commercial oyster boat captain's license. (g) A person who is licensed as a bait dealer under this chapter is not required to obtain or possess a general commercial fisherman's license if the person is catching bait only. (h) A person who engages in or assists in commercial crab fishing under Subchapter B, Chapter 78, and who holds a license for that activity is not required to obtain or possess a general commercial fisherman's license or a commercial fishing boat license. (i) A person who engages in commercial finfish fishing under Subchapter D and who holds a commercial finfish fisherman's license issued under Subchapter D in their immediate possession is not required to obtain or possess a general commercial fisherman's license. Acts 1975, 64th Leg., p. 1405, ch. 545, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1975. Amended by Acts 1979, 66th Leg., p. 1398, ch. 623, Sec. 7, eff. Aug. 27, 1979; Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 2542, ch. 676, art. 1, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1981; Acts 1983, 68th Leg., p. 1332, ch. 277, Sec. 24, eff. Sept. 1, 1983; Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 267, art. 2, Sec. 36, eff. Sept. 1, 1985; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 862, Sec. 2, eff. Sept. 1, 1995; Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1256, Sec. 128, eff. Sept. 1, 1997; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 455, Sec. 2, eff. Sept. 1, 1999. Amended by: Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 604 (H.B. 3497), Sec. 1, eff. June 11, 2023.