Aquaculture Compliance in Texas

Aquaculture — including fish farming, crawfish production, shrimp farming, and other aquatic species cultivation — qualifies for 1-D-1 agricultural valuation in Texas under Texas Tax Code §23.51. Aquaculture operations must demonstrate active production and commercial agricultural purpose.

Qualifying Aquaculture Operations

Qualifying aquaculture activities include catfish farming (the most common in Texas), crawfish production (particularly in Southeast Texas and the Gulf Coast), tilapia and other food fish production, shrimp farming, baitfish production, and ornamental fish production for commercial sale. The operation must be conducted as a commercial agricultural enterprise — recreational fishing ponds typically do not qualify unless they are managed and stocked as a commercial operation.

What LandComply Tracks

LandComply tracks pond inventory and acreage, stocking records (species, quantity, dates), water quality management activities, feeding schedules and feed purchases, harvest records with production volumes, sales documentation and buyer records, equipment and infrastructure maintenance, and disease management and treatment activities.

For crawfish operations specifically, LandComply tracks field flooding and draining schedules, trap placement and harvest records, and seasonal production cycles.