While resilient, the oyster fishery has limitations and we must be proactive in our efforts to improve its sustainability and promote reef growth. As outlined in the suggested measures below, we need to prioritize the ecological and structural value of oysters in the water including safeguarding existing reefs and creating new ones. The oyster is so much more than just a fishery; it is a crucial foundational component of our bays’ ecosystem – healthy oyster reefs mean a strong and sustainable coastline now and in the future. Help us advocate for a more sustainable oyster fishery by sharing information from this page and constructively engaging with policy makers.
Shane Bonnot
Advocacy Director, CCA Texas
Photo courtesy of the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies
Photo Courtesy of John Blaha
CCA Texas, FlatsWorthy and numerous committed conservation groups took an important first step in addressing critical concerns with the continued decline of public oyster reefs in a letter to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission.
The letter is the beginning of a broader and crucial dialogue necessary to:
Taking action will ultimately lead to a healthier oyster fishery.
Photo Courtesy of Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
Click each image to view in a larger format.
Right click each image and select “Save Image As…” to download and SHARE on social media.
Hannah Kaplan – owner and operator of Barrier Beauties – discusses her oyster farm near Bolivar, the ins and outs of the permitting process, and future possibilities for her operations. Hannah and her team have braved new waters to find a way to provide a sustainable product to a desperate market.
Read the full update from CCA Texas Advocacy Director Shane Bonnot HERE.
Please take a moment to watch our new TV commercial, “CCA Texas: Committed to Restoring and Rebuilding Texas Oyster Reefs”
Oysters: They are refuge. They are food. They are habitat. Together, we can ensure a vibrant oyster fishery.
We all want more oysters, and in the process of considering management options for the fishery, we need to prioritize the value of oyster IN the water.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) is seeking public input on a proposed regulation change to prohibit the harvest of oysters in Carlos Bay, Mesquite Bay and Ayres Bay (Mesquite Bay complex).
At their March 23-24 meeting, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission (TPWC) will consider prohibiting the harvest of oysters in Carlos Bay, Mesquite Bay, and Ayres Bay.
“This closing is based on samples recently collected by TPWD showing low abundance of legal-sized oysters.”
“We want MORE oysters. If you had to boil it down, the whole conversation, two words: more oysters.”
“This closing is based on samples recently collected by TPWD showing low abundance of legal-sized oysters.”
“This closing is based on samples recently collected by TPWD showing low abundance of legal-sized oysters.”
“This closing is based on samples recently collected by TPWD showing low abundance of legal-sized oysters.”
© Coastal Conservation Association. All rights reserved. 6919 Portwest, Suite 100 Houston, Texas 77024
