Photo by Nate Skinner The future of Baffin Bay’s trophy fishery relies on the improvement of the estuary’s overall water quality in regards to the current nutrient problem.
UPSTREAM ACTIONS HAVE DOWNSTREAM EFFECTS Water Quality Concerns and Solutions for Baffin Bay Article by NATE SKINNER
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or decades, Baffin Bay has maintained a legendary status in terms of Texas’ trophy fish-producing estuaries among the Texas coastal angling crowd. Located approximately 50 miles south of Corpus Christi, the bay plays an integral role as a key component of the renowned Laguna Madre ecosystem. Known for its tremendous commercial and recreational fishing opportunities, Baffin Bay is often visited by Texans pursuing world-class game fish, such as spotted sea trout and red drum, as well as black drum and other inshore fish species. Over the years it has become a bucket list destination for any inshore sport fishing fanatic on the Gulf coast. In addition to angling opportunities, Baffin’s breathtaking views provide a glimpse of what’s left of wild Texas. The South
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Texas terrain that lines the bay’s shorelines is undeveloped and often laden with wildlife. The area is a true paradise for any sportsman, nature lover and outdoor enthusiast. Over the last decade, algal blooms, seagrass die-offs and fish kills have elevated concern in regard to the iconic locale’s water quality. These unfortunate occurrences have resulted from the waters within Baffin Bay becoming oversaturated with nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorous causing algal overgrowth and reduced oxygen levels, a process known as eutrophication. Brown tide events have also been a regular occurrence within Baffin Bay since the 1990s, causing more reason for concern for the system’s water quality. Longtime locals began to take notice of the negative effects these processes and events were having on Baffin Bay, as well as
