TPWD closes Matagorda Bay oyster area

Texas Parks and Wildlife has announced the closure of a shellfish harvesting area in Matagorda Bay following recent sampling that revealed a decline in the number of legal-sized oysters below acceptable levels.

The closure will be implemented on January 21 and will impact both commercial and recreational harvesting within the designated area known as TX-19. The announcement arrives amid ongoing challenges faced by the state's oyster industry, which has been grappling with the impacts of years of storms, pollution, and significant freshwater runoff.

“The department stated in a news release that TPWD has collaborated with the oyster industry to establish criteria for closing areas to harvest.” “The criteria outline specific parameters for oysters when their numbers dip below certain thresholds, particularly focusing on those measuring three inches or greater.”

The department has suggested that various factors could lead to the closure of harvesting areas. These include excessive rainfall and runoff, flooding, hurricanes, and other severe weather events, as well as significant spills, algal blooms, and breakdowns at wastewater treatment facilities.

The closure of Matagorda Bay significantly limits public access to oyster reefs. According to TPWD, just 11 out of the 34 shellfish harvesting areas in the state are presently accessible to the public. Several more regions continue to be available for privately licensed harvesting, mainly focusing on aquaculture activities.

This move comes in response to the department's ongoing initiatives aimed at stabilizing the beleaguered industry. In September, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department revised its program for buying back oyster licenses, now providing a fixed amount of $30,000 per license, rather than permitting producers to determine their own pricing. The department reported a 21 percent decrease in the total number of oyster licenses issued across the state.

In the subsequent month, TPWD announced the reopening of 11 coastal regions for both commercial and recreational harvesting, which encompasses three areas in Galveston Bay and four in Matagorda Bay. TX-19 has been reopened, but it has now become the first area in that group to close once more.

“To support Texas’ commercial oyster fishermen this season, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has decided to relax the established thresholds temporarily for the 2025-2026 season,” stated Robin Riechers, director of TPWD’s coastal fisheries division, at that time.

“It is crucial to strike a balance between conserving oyster resources and providing fishing opportunities for the commercial industry, as this is vital for both the industry and the future of Texas’ reefs,” Riechers emphasized.

The industry in Galveston Bay has also reported significant losses. In the spring of 2024, Galveston County Judge Mark Henry reported that oyster producers faced significant losses, estimating around $15 million, as runoff from repeated rainfalls overwhelmed local reefs.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department announced that the recently closed Matagorda Bay area will stay off-limits until the population of legal-sized oysters reaches satisfactory levels.