New Research Boat Donated by CCA Texas Honors Conservation Legacy of Louis “Scott” Murray
There was likely no bigger proponent of Baffin Bay and all that it means to South Texas than Louis “Scott” Murray. Murray, who passed away in February of 2024, was dedicated to ensuring current and future generations could enjoy Baffin Bay, which he often referred to as a “family heirloom.”
To honor Murray’s contributions to coastal conservation and Baffin Bay, the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies (HRI) at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi named a new research vessel after him. The R/V Scott Murray was dedicated during a ceremony on Thursday, November 14 at the Institute.
The 25-foot Haynie Magnum is a gift from Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) Texas to be used in support of research and monitoring being conducted as part of the Bringing Baffin Back™ initiative. This is the first dedicated vessel for the initiative.
CCA Texas aims to ensure the health and conservation of Texas’ marine resources and anglers’ access to them.
“We are really happy to be partners with HRI on the Bringing Baffin Back™ initiative,” said John Carlson, the Chairman of CCA Texas. “(The boat) is a huge thing for all of CCA Texas. We have 75,000 members in Texas, and they all know what we are doing. It’s a great thing, and the work is so good and so meaningful.”
Honoring Scott Murray’s legacy
Murray was an avid angler and lifelong CCA Texas member whose favorite hobbies included carving custom fishing lures and catching big trout in Baffin Bay.
Murray published “World Class Texas Trout Tomorrow”, a popular book that looked at the importance of the trout fishery and coastal conservation. He received CCA’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017, was named Volunteer of the Year by the Coastal Bend Bays and Estuaries Program, and in 2023 received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Harvey Weil Sportsman Conservationist Awards, which is hosted by the Rotary Club of Corpus Christi.
Murray was one of the first to recognize declines in the health of his beloved Baffin Bay and was a catalyst for the Baffin Bay Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Program that brought together his fellow conservationists to help HRI scientists gather data they needed to understand causes of water quality degradation in Baffin Bay.
The information gained through the volunteer water quality monitoring program became an essential component of the Bringing Baffin Back™ initiative, formed in 2022 by HRI and the Coastal Bend Bays and Estuaries Program. The program was also recognized as a Texan by Nature Conservation Wrangler program.
Bringing Baffin Back™ serves as a focal point for pollution reduction activities and habitat restoration in Baffin Bay, while also fostering youth interest in Baffin Bay stewardship.
“It’s an honor to have (Scott’s name) on the boat,” said HRI’s Chair for Coastal Ecosystem Processes lab Mike Wetz. “We worked closely together over the years on Baffin issues, and he was the community member who really got all this started. He’s the one who really organized everybody and brought some of the concerns and issues to the scientists at HRI and Texas Parks and Wildlife. He’s just been an incredible advocate for Baffin.”
The Louis “Scott” Murray Endowed Fund for the Conservation of Baffin Bay was also created to ensure the next generation of coastal and marine researchers would have the greatest opportunities to learn and grow, personally and professionally. The funds administered from the endowment helped with the enhancement of the Bringing Baffin Back™ initiative at HRI.
Bringing Baffin Back™ is a key research vehicle for HRI’s Coastal Ecosystem Processes lab that also focuses on understanding the important processes affecting estuarine and coastal water quality and algal bloom dynamics, and the research provides sound scientific basis for managing water quality efforts.
“The Scott Murray family is honored to see Scott’s name on a beautiful Haynie Magnum and dedicated to a worthy mission,” said Kirk Murray, Scott’s son. “We are grateful for CCA’s donation to the Harte Research Institute and the work both organizations are doing to BRING BAFFING BACK!”
About the R/V Scott Murray
The Haynie Magnum boat is powered by a 300 horsepower Yamaha engine and weighs approximately 1,600 pounds, has a maximum allowable weight of 2,250 pounds and has a K-top or Key West style top. The trailer is a Coastline.
The larger boat will be in addition to a 2019 Boat Right aluminum hull work boat used by researchers. The new boat is better suited to handle the frequent windy, and sometimes choppy, conditions that are typically on Baffin Bay.
“We’d like to thank CCA Texas for their support as this vessel is more than just a boat; it’s a tribute to Scott’s legacy,” said HRI Senior Executive Director Greg Stunz. “His work laid the foundation for conservation efforts that will safeguard this unique ecosystem for generations to come. It’s a crucial asset in our mission to restore Baffin Bay. Through the Bringing Baffin Back™ initiative, we’re ensuring his vision endures.”
While the boat exemplifies power and durability, it also carries the legacy of craftsmanship designed specifically for the waters of the Coastal Bend of Texas.
Rayburn Haynie started building boats uniquely suited for the Coastal Bend’s shallow bays and windy conditions in the 1950s in Seadrift, Texas, and his legacy continues with a recent joint venture with Chris’s Marine in Aransas Pass, Texas. Also, Coastline Trailers was founded in Seadrift by a fisherman seeking durable trailers for the rough coastal environment as both companies are deeply rooted in serving the unique needs of Texas’ coastal anglers and their equipment.