About FlatsWorthy | FlatsWorthy Texas

The FlatsWorthy Movement

The FlatsWorthy movement, spearheaded by a noble group of anglers, began with an ambitious goal to promote boating courtesy among all who enjoy our shallow bays. No one argued against the premise that fishing should be a relaxing escape rather than a contentious battle among angling factions. The core founders and followers of FlatsWorthy are guides, paddlers, airboaters, fly-fishermen, wade anglers, along with those who drift-fish or enjoy poling the flats. FlatsWorthy was established as a diverse coalition of anglers with mutual respect engaging in a conversation to reverse a childish trend of inconsiderate behavior. And then came Hurricane Harvey, putting the movement on pause. Read more>>>

Our Code

RESPECT FELLOW ANGLERS

Be considerate toward the space, time and efforts of fellow anglers.

Know before you go — look for other anglers before entering a fishing area.

Don’t needlessly take shortcuts across flats, run the shorelines, or disturb fishing grounds

RESPECT THE RESOURCE

Reduce your footprint to share the resource equitably.

Avoid damaging natural resources and fish habitat.

Support habitat restoration projects.

RESPECT THE LAW

Know and obey fishing and boating regulations.

Report fish, game or boating law violations you encounter.

Participate in opportunities for public comment on proposals for new and revised regulations.

FlatsWorthy is the leader in promoting respect for our fellow Texas bay users, respect for the resource and respect for the law among a diverse community with the goal of improving the health and productivity of Texas bays now and for the future.

Our Mission Statement

FlatsWorthy, Inc., a 501c3 non-profit organization, is a coalition of diverse anglers practicing mutual respect while sharing the same resource. We accomplish our mission through public awareness and education, participation in habitat restoration, and involvement with state and federal agencies in resource protection.

FlatsWorthy, Inc., was formed in 2015 in Aransas County, Texas. While the focus has been in this coastal area, the reach of FlatsWorthy, Inc., has been statewide. The Advisory Board consists of members from around the State of Texas who represent academics, state agencies, and successful men and women engaged in enterprise.

The Code of Angler Respect (COAR) is the guiding document of FlatsWorthy, Inc. The 3 tenets are: Respect Fellow Anglers, Respect the Resource, and Respect the Law.

FlatsWorthy, Inc., volunteers represent countless years of experience dealing with coastal issues. With the help of our members, we have participated in habitat restoration projects on the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. These volunteer opportunities build a greater sense of stewardship.

Our educational efforts have created a robust public dialogue, bringing different opinions together to settle issues through self-regulation. The involvement with state agencies in this dialogue has promoted an appreciation for the important role these agencies play in working together toward a common goal.

We recognize what happens now will have lasting effects in the future. FlatsWorthy, Inc. welcomes new challenges and opportunities to serve and make this a better place than it was going to be.

Our History

While recovery from the storm was still underway, the FlatsWorthy faithful noticed that some of the habitat Harvey stole or altered was made worse by unnatural, shortcut channels carved by boaters through marshes on the backsides of our barrier islands and within the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge.

This realization sparked FlatsWorthy to expand its mission. The group was convinced the movement must recruit scientific partners to help clarify and direct their vision of conservation. And so FlatsWorthy, while still maintaining its original goals, evolved into a more ambitious effort to curb certain destructive behaviors that are eroding our marshes. Scientific research, spanning decades, which includes eye-opening images of San Jose and Matagorda islands, lends much credence to the group’s newfound message: Nature can best heal itself without man’s intrusion.

FlatsWorthy currently is in education and outreach mode. Principals of the group are consulting with institutions, conservation groups, and universities with the resources, background and will to show how we can become part of the solution. We plan to let the science guide us.

Yes, this may involve curbing certain traditional methods used to access shallow, remote waters. We know that some boating habits inadvertently cause damage, while other behaviors show a blatant disregard for and ignorance of the fragile habitats essential to our angling pleasure.

The founders of FlatsWorthy believe when most anglers see the cause and effect dynamics at play, much of it born out of convenience, they will choose the right path. Research can accomplish this, by empirically illustrating the consequences of our behavioral choices, both good and bad.

Ultimately, FlatsWorthy wants to broadcast this common-sense message far and wide, to change minds and improve the health and productivity of our bays, now and for the future.

So, if you’d like to help establish a set of universally accepted positive behaviors, while attaching a negative stigma to unacceptable behaviors, this movement is for you. And if you’re willing to work toward changing angling culture for the better, please join us.

JOIN US