The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has closed the oyster harvesting area TX-5 in Galveston Bay after reef health fell below sustainability thresholds, leaving only two public areas open in the bay as the season continues.
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Texas oyster harvesters are encountering yet another challenge as state officials have announced the closure of one of the last three public harvesting areas in Galveston Bay. Concerns about declining reef health under significant harvesting pressure have prompted this decision.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has officially announced the closure of area TX-5, effective Saturday, following a significant decline in oyster populations that fell below the state's sustainability threshold. The recent decision has resulted in the closure of all but two public harvesting areas in the bay, specifically TX-1 and TX-7, which will remain accessible for the remainder of the season, concluding on April 30.
Kelly Kowal, the upper coast regional director for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Coastal Fisheries Division, stated that the closures are determined by a metric known as catch per unit effort (CPUE). State sampling teams are currently measuring the number of viable oysters collected per hour as part of their efforts to assess the health of local reefs.
As the season commenced on November 1, 2025, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) initiated opening areas that met a catch per unit effort (CPUE) threshold of 1,100. Areas will be closed when sampling results drop below 400.
Kowal stated, “Each area has a specific threshold for the amount of harvest pressure it can endure.” “The harvest has reached a significant threshold, surpassing the level deemed necessary for maintaining sustainability and justifying continued openness.”
Kowal reported that the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has not detected any unusual mortality events in TX-5, attributing the decline primarily to fishing pressure.
“Our goal is to maintain a sufficient population of oysters in the water, ensuring that during the summer months, when they begin to reproduce, there are ample surfaces for them to settle on,” she stated.
In a recent development, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) announced the closure of TX-19 in Matagorda Bay last month, citing similar criteria. Across the state, 10 public harvesting areas continue to operate, along with multiple reefs set aside for private mariculture activities.
Kowal stated that she does not anticipate TX-5 reopening prior to the conclusion of the season.
The two remaining areas of Galveston Bay are currently under vigilant observation. TX-1, encompassing the East Bay region from the Bolivar Peninsula to Chambers County, has reported figures approaching the closure threshold. However, it has faced lower fishing pressure compared to TX-5.
According to Kowal, the bulk of fishing activity has concentrated between TX-5 and TX-7, with vessels frequently transitioning between these two points.
TX-7, situated in the lower section of the bay and larger than TX-5, has taken on the majority of the season's harvesting efforts. However, it remains "well above the closure threshold at this time," according to her statement.
Four nearby areas have been classified as conditionally approved, indicating that their status may fluctuate depending on prevailing weather or water conditions.
The recent closure highlights the continued pressure on Texas’s coastal reefs, presenting additional challenges for both commercial and recreational oyster harvesters already facing a difficult season.
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