Beginning at 12:01 a.m. on April 21st, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department ( TPWD ) will shut down TX-1 in Galveston Bay for both commercial and recreational oyster harvesting. Based on recent TPWD samples, which showed a lower abundance of oysters of legal size, this closure is made.
The oysters economy has been working with TPWD to create guidelines for limiting harvesting. The criteria list oysters that fall below specific thresholds based on the number of oysters three inches or larger.
TPWD may continue to monitor all areas that are already being harvested and will resume them when they meet the requirements.
On the Texas Department of State Health Services site, you can find a map of oyster planting areas, as well as the most recent status data for each area.
