AUSTIN – The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) will reopen all restricted saltwater fishing areas on the Texas coast at 12:01 p.m. on Dec. 27. The closure helped protect resources during recent freezing weather conditions.

Anglers and coastal residents can still report any freeze-related fish kills or large numbers of sluggish or cold-stunned fish or sea turtles by contacting TPWD’s Law Enforcement Communications office at (281) 842-8100 or (512) 389-4848. You can also use the web-based/phone application iNaturalist to report local impacts of recent winter weather on the coast. Contribute online your observation and photos of coastal aquatic life that you suspect might have been killed due to the cold. This will help give our biologist the most up-to-date information to investigate.

Report stranded or cold stunned sea turtles to 1-866-TURTLE-5.

Visit the Outdoor Annual online to see the list of previously closed areas.