Aquarium at Rockport Harbor in Rockport-Fulton, Aransas County, United States | Aquarium

The Rockport-Fulton Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, Bay Blazers, community leaders and residents were on hand to cut the ribbon officially opening the long-awaited Aquarium at Rockport Harbor in Rockport-Fulton, Texas in the United States.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Rockport Marine Lab, located on the Rockport-Fulton Harbor, has housed an Aquarium since it was built in 1947.  The Aquarium at Rockport-Fulton hosted over 2000 visitors a month before it was required to close in 1987, due to building structure issues. “For the past 20 years we have had visitors on a weekly basis looking for the Aquarium which they visited as a child. This sustained interest and the opportunity to provide an educational outlet to many local tourists has inspired us to reopen the Aquarium, “ explained Ed Hegen, Regional Director, Coastal Fisheries Division.

The Aquarium at Rockport-Fulton project benefited significantly from an initial cash contribution from the Aransas County Commissioners’ Court and a generous gift of surplus exhibition tanks from the Texas State Aquarium. “It is projects like this, where everyone works together, that make our community the wonderful place that it is,” states County Judge Burt Mills. “We appreciate TPWD Coastal Fisheries for their work in this project.”

A “Friends of the Aquarium at Rockport Harbor” Organization has been formed to support the operations and facility.  Guests will be greeted by docents.  It will be free to the public.  Hours of operation will be 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Friday through Monday. “This has been a fun project and would encourage others to get involved,” explains Chairman, De McLallen.

The mission of the Aquarium at Rockport Harbor is to display for public viewing, free of charge, marine species and habitat indigenous to the local coastal bay systems, educate via displays and associated exhibits about these indigenous species, their commercial and recreational importance, and the ecology of the coastal bay systems.

“Stop in the Aquarium at Rockport Harbor during the hours mentioned above. Give us your feedback. We want this to be a work in progress “community effort”. You may have thoughts on displays, exhibits, curriculum, fish, or even contributors. We want to hear from you,” explains McLallen.