TEXAS, USA — Texas oyster season opens up on November 1, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
This year, TPWD said damaging storms and flooding will cause commercial and recreational oyster harvesting areas to be limited this year. The season runs from November 1 through April 30.
TPWD cited sampling surveys that showed multiple oyster reefs with low numbers of market-sized oysters. Only 10 of 28 shellfish harvest areas will open at the beginning of the season.
"The department is increasing restoration efforts, closely monitoring reefs and taking prompt action if overfishing occurs and streamlining programs, like cultivated oyster mariculture," TPWD Executive Director David Yoskowitz said. "For this year, our sampling data shows that wild oysters are still at low abundances and struggling."
The department said that while Galveston Bay has historically been a big source of oysters for commercial harvesters, oyster populations in the bay are lower headed into this season.
"We had hoped for better abundance numbers that would've allowed for more areas to be open this season," said TPWD Coastal Fisheries Division Director Robin Riechers. "Unfortunately, tropical storm Alberto and Hurricane Beryl caused high amounts of freshwater inflow into the Galveston Bay system, which resulted in considerable oyster mortality in Texas' bays."
These are the 10 shellfish harvesting areas that will be open to the public starting November 1:
- Galveston Bay
- TX-2
- TX-4
- TX-8
- Matagorda Bay
- TX-19
- TX-20
- San Antonio Bay
- TX-26
- Aransas Bay
- TX-29
- TX-30
- Corpus Christi Bay
- TX-33
- Laguna Madre Bay
- TX-34
TPWD noted that areas, 2, 4, 8, 33, and 34 were not sampled due to the areas typically having a minimal harvest.
"By default, all TX areas not sampled prior to the season will open Nov. 1," TPWD said in a news release.
