The Redfish Bay state scientific area is a 14,000-acre area of submerged seagrass beds that includes all five types of seagrass. It’s located near Rockport and Port Aransas.
“It’s unique. It’s wild,” says Julie Hagen with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. “It feels like wild Texas. It’s a little bit far off the coast, but it’s easy access because you can be in Port Aransas or Rockport. It’s very large, so you can also find areas where nobody else is, and it provides great fishing for people who love saltwater fishing. And all you need is a saltwater fishing license.”
Hagen says one reason why seagrass is so important is that it’s one of the most productive habitats on the planet, along with coral reefs and rainforests.
“In 2013, a law was passed where it became illegal to uproot seagrass anywhere in the state of Texas,” Hagen says. “So if you’re on your boat and your boat propeller is on the water, remember that ‘if it’s brown, turn around.’ Because if your boat propeller is brown, that probably means that the sediment and the roots of the seagrass are coming up.”
She says Redfish Bay is a great spot for fishing, kayaking, canoeing, and birdwatching.