Tex. Parks & Wild. Code Section 66.023
Fraud in Fishing Tournaments

(a)

In this section, “fishing tournament” means a contest in which a prize is to be awarded to one or more participants in the contest based on the weight, length, number, or type of fish caught by the participants or based on any other criteria applicable to the fish caught.

(b)

A person commits an offense if, with intent to affect the outcome of a fishing tournament:

(1)

the person provides, offers to provide, sells, or offers to sell a fish to a participant in the tournament for the purpose of representing that the fish was caught by the participant in the course of the tournament;

(2)

the person, as a participant in the tournament, accepts or agrees to accept a fish from another person for the purpose of representing that the fish was caught by the participant in the course of the tournament;

(3)

the person, as a participant in the tournament, represents that a fish was caught by the person in the course of the tournament when in fact the fish was not caught by that person or the fish was not caught in the course of that tournament;

(4)

the person alters the length or weight of a fish for the purpose of representing that the fish as entered in the tournament was that length or weight when caught; or

(5)

the person enters a fish in the tournament that was taken in violation of any provision of this code or a proclamation or regulation of the commission adopted under this code.

(c)

A person commits an offense if the person sponsors or conducts a fishing tournament and knows of the occurrence in the tournament of activity prohibited by Subsection (b) of this section and does not immediately notify a law enforcement officer commissioned by the director of its occurrence.

(d)

An offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor, except that if the offense occurred during a tournament in which any prize or combination of prizes to be awarded for any one category for which an award is given, whether the prize or prizes are to an individual or a team, is worth $10,000 or more in money or goods, the offense is a felony of the third degree.
Transferred, redesignated and amended from Parks and Wildlife Code, Section 66.119 by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 114 (H.B. 1806), Sec. 1, eff. May 21, 2011.

Source: Section 66.023 — Fraud in Fishing Tournaments, https://statutes.­capitol.­texas.­gov/Docs/PW/htm/PW.­66.­htm#66.­023 (accessed Jun. 5, 2024).

66.001
Definitions 66.002
Consent to Take Fish from Private Water 66.003
Placing Explosives or Harmful Substances in Water 66.004
Taking of Fish by Electric Shock Prohibited 66.005
Wilful Destruction of Boat, Seine, or Net 66.006
Possession of Illegal Fishing Devices 66.007
Exotic Harmful or Potentially Harmful Fish and Shellfish 66.008
Fishing from Bridge 66.009
Navigation Districts 66.011
Leaving Fish to Die 66.012
Penalties 66.013
Federal Grants 66.014
Identification of Vehicle Transporting Aquatic Products 66.015
Introduction of Fish, Shellfish, and Aquatic Plants 66.016
Commercial Fishing Regulations Applicable if Commercial Plates on Board 66.017
License, Tag, and Permit Expirations and Transfers 66.018
Crab Trap Tags 66.019
Statistical Reports 66.020
Sale and Purchase of Protected Fish 66.021
Protected Fish: Display of Documents 66.022
Purchase for Evidence 66.023
Fraud in Fishing Tournaments 66.024
Seagrass Plants 66.0071
Removal of Harmful Aquatic Plants 66.0072
Exotic Harmful or Potentially Harmful Aquatic Plants 66.0073
Rules Requiring Water to Be Drained 66.0091
Fishing in Certain Man-made Waterways 66.102
Placing Prohibited Devices in Public Water 66.109
Fish Ladders 66.110
Screens to Protect Fish 66.111
Sale and Purchase of Certain Fish 66.114
Game and Nongame Fish Defined: Commission Proclamation 66.115
Handfishing 66.121
Penalty 66.204
Vessels and Obstructions in Fish Passes 66.206
Trotline Tags 66.208
Commercial Joint Fishing Ventures 66.215
Tags for Noncommercial Nets and Seines 66.216
Possession of Headed or Tailed Fish 66.217
Finfish Research 66.218
Penalties 66.301
Definition 66.303
Prohibited Acts 66.304
Port Authorities and Navigation Districts 66.305
Harbor Pilots 66.306
Enforcement 66.307
Political Asylum 66.308
Penalty 66.2011
Red Drum and Speckled Sea Trout: Penalties 66.2012
Regulation of Commercial Uses of Redfish and Speckled Sea Trout 66.2161
Sale or Purchase of Shark Fins or Shark Fin Products
Green check means up to date. Up to date

Accessed:
Jun. 5, 2024

§ 66.023’s source at texas​.gov