A recently completed project examined what could be done to increase protection of nesting birds on the Texas coast. The research revealed clear distinctions between federal laws, such as the Endangered Species Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and Texas counterpart laws. Additionally, Texas state law has a complicated protection scheme that may leave both citizens and law enforcement officials unclear on what behavior is prohibited around coastal nesting birds.

This presentation will present the findings of that research, and offer ideas on how to address protection using legislative, regulatory, or common sense methods.