Cliff Webb

Location of Interview
Collection Name

The Gulf Podcast Baffin Bay Oral History Project

Description

The Gulf is an oral history project and podcast that shares stories about people and nature on the Texas Gulf Coast.

Interviewer
Date of Interview
07-12-2022
Transcribers

Alyssa Lucas

Principal Investigator
Audio
Abstract

Cliff Webb is a native of South Texas, born in Port Lavaca Hospital. His father was a game warden, and his family moved to Corpus Christi in 1962 when Webb was around five years old. His father was tasked with protecting the bay systems, specifically Baffin Bay and Laguna Madre, from illegal commercial fishing activities. Webb grew up witnessing his father's efforts to protect the bay systems from illegal netters and commercial fishermen, which sparked his interest in the local marine life and fishing. Webb has lived in Corpus Christi for most of his life and has a deep love for the Laguna Madre and Baffin Bay. He started his career as a fishing guide in the early 1980s, following his passion for fishing. He was the second guide in the area, following Doug Bird. Over the years, Webb has observed significant changes in the fish population and water quality in the bay systems.

Scope and Content Note
This interview with Cliff Webb, conducted by Jen Brown on July 12, 2022, provides an oral history of Webb's life and the changes he has observed in Baffin Bay over the years. Webb discusses his early life in South Texas, his father's role as a game warden, and the impact of commercial fishing on the local fish population and bay systems. He also shares his experiences as a fishing guide, starting in the early 1980s, and the changes he has observed in the fish population and water quality over the years. Webb provides a detailed account of the "war" between the illegal commercial fishermen and the sports fishermen in the 1960s and 70s. He discusses the impact of illegal netting on the fish population, particularly the decline in big trout and redfish due to commercial fishing activities. He also talks about the efforts to curb these activities and the subsequent improvement in the fish population. Webb also discusses the changes in water quality over the years, noting a decline in the clarity of the water. He shares his first fishing experience in Baffin Bay when he was five years old and the dangers his father faced as a game warden, including threats and vandalism from the outlaw fishermen. The interview provides valuable insights into the history of fishing in Baffin Bay, the impact of commercial fishing on the local ecosystem, and the efforts to protect and preserve the bay systems.


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