Fish For, Eat More Black Drum

Fisheries Management

As fishery managers, our most important job is to ensure the sustainability of the State’s fish and shellfish populations while also providing recreational and commercial fishing opportunities. We have several ways to accomplish this, including augmenting the abundance via our stocking program or by proposing regulation changes. Instead, a more subtle approach for us is to promote alternative species to fish for to decrease fishing pressure on more frequently targeted species such as Spotted Seatrout, Red Drum and Southern Flounder. Black Drum are the perfect candidate.   

Fisheries Data

Coastwide, adult Black Drum catch rates have remained steady over the past four decades based on Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s (TWPD) routine fisheries monitoring; although, in the Upper Laguna Madre catches have been increasing and are four times higher than other bay systems on average (Figure 1). Black Drum have found their niche in this area with new record catch rates continuing to be set and despite impacts to them during the February 2021 freeze – spring 2021 catch rates of adult Black Drum were the third highest since 1983. In 2012 and 2020, emaciated drum were documented in this area, likely due to the population reaching its carrying capacity at which point there was insufficient forage to support the growing population. TPWD biologists have studied this population of drum from the Upper Laguna Madre and have determined they are genetically different than other Black Drum populations in Texas and have adapted to this harsh hypersaline environment and are thriving.

Recreational Fishery

In 1988, a daily five-fish bag limit and 14–30” size limit were set for Black Drum, and since 2006, one fish over 52” can be retained to allow for the catch of a new state record. Data collected by TPWD – Coastal Fisheries staff during boat ramp surveys show that Black Drum are the seventh most sought-after fish for recreational anglers. On average, 34.5% of Black Drum landed coastwide were landed in the Upper Laguna Madre. Only 10% of anglers fishing in the Upper Laguna obtain the five-fish limit of Black Drum and only 3.6% of anglers obtain the limit for the remainder of the coast (Figure 2). Thus, there are still plenty of fish available for harvest. On average since 2020, for every single Black Drum harvested there are 10 Spotted Seatrout harvested by anglers coastwide (Figure 3).

Commercial Fishery

Similar to the recreational fishery, in 1988 a size limit of 14-30” was established with no daily bag or possession limit for commercial fishing. In 1999, a moratorium was placed on the sale of new commercial finfish fishing licenses. The commercial Black Drum fishery in Texas averaged over $1.8 million annually from 2010-2020, of which over 50% of the landings were from the Upper Laguna Madre ecosystem (Figure 4). For over 70 years, The Fisherman’s Market in Flour Bluff, TX has been purchasing drum directly from fishermen and selling it locally as well as shipping to wholesale companies in San Antonio, Houston, and Austin. Kenny Danley who has owned this local landmark since 2010 estimates about 20% of the commercially landed Black Drum from the Upper Laguna Madre stay in the Coastal Bend. The Kings Inn, a local restaurant in Riviera, TX, has been serving fresh Black Drum caught in Baffin Bay, a stone’s throw away from the restaurant, since 1983.

Life History

Black Drum are a long-lived fish with studies estimating a lifespan over 40 years old. Their chin barbels are used for locating prey in the bay bottom and their horizontal black stripes make them easy to identify. While all fish in the drum family (e.g., Red Drum, Spotted Seatrout, Atlantic Croaker) have the ability to create drumming sounds when muscles vibrate against their air bladder, Black Drum tend to create the loudest sounds of them all. Black Drum can be found along the Atlantic coast as far north as New York, and south through the Gulf States to Argentina. Tagging studies in Texas have shown drum movement over 245 miles, but typically their average range is less than 10 miles. Large schools of adult drum gather in late winter (February-March) before spawning. Spawning occurs in the bay as well as offshore. Young feed on worms, small shrimp, crabs, and small fish, while larger drum dig out buried mollusks and worms from the bay bottom creating craters known as “drum noodles.” They use specialized molar-like teeth in their throat known as pharyngeal teeth to crush the shells of their prey. Most anglers successfully catch Black Drum by fishing “on the bottom” using shrimp, crabs, or sea lice as bait. Black Drum have solid white moist fillets with a mild flavor making the meat very versatile and easy to use for anything from fresco fish tacos to crisp fried drum. Many anglers prefer the taste of Black Drum over more popular bay sport fish.

Black Drum Forecast

Overall, the Black Drum population in Texas is very stable and continues to be one of the highest commercially harvested fish species in the state. The future looks bright for Black Drum in Texas, in fact so bright it may be better to “fish for and eat more” of them rather than the Texas Slam! We have an opportunity to relieve fishing pressure on highly sought-after fish and instead focus on an underharvested fish that can handle greater fishing pressure. For those of you ready to take this challenge, Chef Davis Turner involved with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation Stewards of the Wild Program has a Black Drum recipe included in this issue.