The Aquarium at Rockport Harbor provides a peek into the underwater world of the more than 300 miles of Texas coastline. The aquarium compensates for its small size by having a lot of heart.
"Our goal is to entertain and educate our visitors," says Jerry Lewis, president of the nonprofit organization that maintains the 13 tanks and cares for the dozens of fish on display. "Our hope is that by making our visitors aware of the local environment, they will make better stewards."
The Texas Gulf Coast supports an amazing diversity of marine life, most of it hidden beneath the waves. There are more than 460 different species of fin fish, as well as sea cucumbers and sea horses that live along the coast. Some of the native Texas fish are beautiful, such as the Sergeant Major with its blue and black stripes, while others are prehistoric-looking bottom-feeders like the sea robins.
Operated almost entirely by volunteers – there is a paid site manager – the aquarium relies exclusively on donations. Even the admission is based on the generosity of the guests. Opened in 2007, the nonprofit aquarium has received grants to replace the walls of the 60-year-old former maintenance barn on the wharf and to build a water filtration system.
You won't see a dolphin show at the Aquarium at Rockport, but you will see a sampling of Texas coastal aquatic life. The four 1,200-gallon tanks represent different environments and the creatures that inhabit the bays, reefs, and jetties along the coast. This is a chance to see shrimp pre-cocktail sauce and sea trout unencumbered by breading or tartar sauce.
The marine life on display is usually there on a temporary basis. Lewis says because the conditions in the tanks are so ideal, the fish tend to grow very rapidly – for example, the hungry redfish that grew to 24 inches long before he was returned to the bay. "Reds will eat anything, and he nearly ate everything," Lewis said. That wasn't as near-disastrous as the great egret that flew in through the back door to grab a meal from a tank.
All of the featured specimens are donated by fishermen, Aransas County Navigation District personnel, and the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. In fact, the aquarium traces its roots back 62 years to a small sea-life exhibit at the TPWD Marine Lab next door. The laboratory's tanks were a popular but little-known attraction until they were closed in 1987.
"So many people aren't aware of what's here in our bays," Lewis says. "It's really a very beautiful and sensitive environment."
The Aquarium at Rockport Harbor is at 702 Navigation Circle, overlooking Aransas Bay. The aquarium is open Thursday through Monday from 1 to 4pm, and admission is free. Besides the fish tanks, the aquarium has fun and educational activities for children, a seashell collection, and a gift shop. Well-behaved dogs are welcome to visit. For more information, call 361/729-2328 or go to www.rockportaquarium.com.
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