Research


This article discusses bag limits, seasonal effects, and trout populations based on weather and baitfish patterns. Both authors use data from the field to provide evidence for the article. These authors are both marine biologists making this article seem credible. The report talks about conservation laws and their effectiveness which directly correlates with my thesis. 


This article focuses more on the environmental impacts of the Texas coast and how they affect the speckled trout population. The authors talked about weather patterns and compared them to population trends. This article was published in the  Marine Ecology progress series making it a credible source. Green and Thompson's report supports my thesis very well because they discuss how conservation laws can be adapted based on environmental conditions. 



This book focuses more on the biology and life cycles of speckled trout. It also gives insight on how the biology of speckled trout could affect conservation laws. This is a very credible source because it the authors are a part of the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission. Even though this article is not directly talking about trout in Texas it still could help me write an argument. The article allowed me to deepen my understanding of speckled trout in other states other than just Texas. 



McEachran and Fechhelm write about habitat and population pressures in certain regions. They also talk about the need for conservation for trout because of population decline. These authors are very credible because they are affiliated with the University of Texas Press and are marine biologists. The article made the need for conservation changes very clear along with giving insight into exterior factors that are causing a decline in the trout population in the Gulf of Mexico. This article will benefit my thesis greatly and will show the reader why conservation laws are necessary. 



Every year the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) gives a population report for species in Texas. This report in 2023 is the most recent published and is usually pretty accurate. I usually read these reports along with participating in the surveys the TPWD will send in the mail along with surveys they take at the boat ramp. These are real-time reports which will make my thesis paper credible when talking about population decline and will show the reader that there is a need for conservation changes. 



My research process began with looking at population reports by the TPWD over the past 10 years. I looked into numbers and read reports written by the TPWD marine biologist about how natural disasters like hurricanes, freezes, and bait kills have impacted trout. I then looked into articles about how other states along the Gulf of Mexico deal with these issues. The articles I found were very resourceful but the issue I ran into the most was trying to find articles based on the region I am writing about. For example, Florida has done very well with conservation efforts but Texas has not seemed to do a good job in the past few years for our trout fisheries. The sources I listed above are very resourceful and will help me create a good argument when writing my thesis. I need to find and add articles to cite about past legislative history. The research I conducted will strengthen my thesis and I feel that I can look at this issue from multiple different perspectives rather than just from bias personal perspective.