The Perry R. Bass Marine Fisheries Research Station: A monument to research, stock enhancement, and conservation on the coast of Texas

The property currently known as the Perry R. Bass Marine Fisheries Research Station, located outside Palacios, TX, was acquisitioned in 1967 for $10.00 and “other cash considerations” by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD); the original name was the Marine Fisheries Research Station (MFRS). With the help from federal grant funds, a main building (consisting of offices and research lab), two onsite residences, one maintenance shop, and 21 outdoor ponds were constructed on a former bombing range that was used by the US Army at the height of the Second World War (Figure 1). The facility was operational by 1969 with the initial purpose of developing protocols to culture shrimp for the commercial sector. In 1974 a fire broke out in the main building and the data from the shrimp research trials that year were lost. However, the data from the previous years were stored offsite, and these data were used to help the burgeoning commercial shrimp aquaculture industry develop culture protocols.

In the late 1970s, the recreational fishing community in Texas was very concerned about the degradation of the coastal red drum fishery. Through concerted political effort, regulations were implemented to help revitalize the fishery, but the need for coastal fish hatcheries to help jump start the red drum efforts also became apparent. As part of this effort, the research team at MFRS set out to develop rearing protocols to raise red drum in outdoor ponds. Around the same time, researchers at the University of Texas, Marine Science Institute (UTMSI), developed the photothermal cycle necessary to spawn sexually mature red drum in captivity. The broodstock research at UTMSI and the outdoor culture protocols developed at MFRS were merged to create the Coastal Fisheries stock enhancement program that we know of today. As a testament to the importance of that early research, the modern stock enhancement program still uses the techniques developed all those years ago.

Seizing on that momentum, construction for the first large scale marine fish hatchery, the CCA Marine Development Center (MDC) in Corpus Christi, began in 1981 and the first crop of red drum fingerlings was stocked into San Antonio Bay in 1983. Following the success of the red drum rearing protocols, the research staff developed techniques to spawn and raise spotted seatrout. Those protocols were also successful and are also used currently by the Coastal Fisheries stock enhancement program.

A lesser-known function of the MFRS early on was experimental aquaculture research aimed at creating unique fisheries for inland and coastal anglers, centered on stocking warmwater reservoirs across the state. Some of this work bordered on mad science! For instance, researchers crossed red drum and black drum and were successful at producing hybrids (aka the “golden drum”). The orangemouth corvina (a drum species endemic to the west coast) was also brought to the MFRS to develop rearing protocols and attempt to hybridize them with local species. The idea was that corvina could be stocked into freshwater lakes to diversify angler opportunities. This program never formally developed, and the non-native corvina broodstock were released into freshwater lakes outside of San Antonio. The last corvina was observed in those lakes in 1992. The research staff also attempted to spawn other native Texas fish, such as the common snook and tarpon. Both species presented challenges; for instance, a sexually mature adult tarpon (~6-7 years in age and over 100 lbs.) was difficult to hold in captivity, due to their ability to jump out of the tanks!

In the early 80s, the research team slowly transitioned from aquaculture-based research to more life history studies (such as reproduction and age determination of various finfish). Age determination allowed the researchers to estimate growth rates, population age structure, and various biological parameters to understand fish populations in Texas coastal waters. The information from the life history work is used to help TPWD assess the overall health of populations of managed fish such as red drum and spotted seatrout.

To further expand the life history work at the MFRS, a research wetlab was constructed in the mid-80’s. The wetlab allowed the research staff to conduct controlled experiments to test a wide range of biological factors. One example was to study the temperature tolerances for hatchery fish such as the red drum, spotted seatrout and southern flounder so hatchery staff could better fine tune the outdoor rearing protocol. The funds to build the wetlab were generously donated by Perry Richardson Bass, the TPWD Chairman Emeritus at the time and a longtime benefactor to the agency. Shortly after, the facility was renamed the Perry R. Bass Marine Fisheries Research Station (PRB-MFRS) in honor of Mr. Bass’ contribution to conservation in Texas.

In 1987, the research team expanded to include genetics work. The goal of the genetics work was to address issues of fisheries management, stock enhancement, and regulations. One example of the genetics work was to understand genetic population structure of managed fishes, to ensure that hatchery-reared fingerlings are released into appropriate locations. For example, all three present day stock enhancement species (red drum, spotted seatrout, and southern flounder) have strict rules of where fingerlings can be released, based on the area where their parents were caught. These policies ensure that TPWD is placing fingerlings back into areas where they are well adapted and allows for preservation of natural genetic diversity within the hatchery program.

In 1993, the Coastal Fisheries stock enhancement program took over the outdoor rearing ponds at the PRB-MFRS. By using the outdoor ponds for production rather than research, hatchery staff were able to increase production of red drum and spotted seatrout fingerlings and expand operations coast-wide in Texas. The hatchery program was further expanded in 1996 when the Sea Center Texas hatchery (Lake Jackson) became operational, and presently all three hatcheries work together to stock fingerlings into estuaries from Sabine Lake to the Lower Laguna every year.

Today, the research staff at the PRB-MFRS facility investigate numerous facets of biology of marine organisms to help inform management decisions and stock enhancement protocols. Broadly, the research team today studies age and growth, genetics, migration, population structure, spatial distribution, mortality and parasitology of marine species that have commercial and recreational importance. They also work closely with the hatchery team to address any aquaculture-related questions. To date, the research team has published over 100 articles to various scientific journals. Over the life of the stock enhancement program, the hatchery team at the PRB-MFRS facility have stocked over 302 million red drum and over 18 million spotted seatrout throughout the coastal waters of Texas. Overall, the work that started almost 60 years ago has had an outsized impact on the way that Texas manages, regulates and supplements its coastal fisheries. The Perry R. Bass Marine Fisheries Research Station is a monument to conservation and management on the Texas coast.