While conservationists recently celebrated news that three threatened bay systems would be closed to oyster harvest, concerns remained that other areas would inevitably bear the brunt of intense commercial harvest.
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More boats are currently active in the fishery than the resource can support, causing the available harvest to be quickly exploited and habitat values significantly diminished.
We have witnessed excessive loss of previously wadable reefs in Galveston Bay, Matagorda Bay, San Antonio Bay, Mesquite Bay, Carlos Bay, Aransas Bay and Copano Bay.
Texas oyster reefs are a critical component of the natural landscape, providing important services for our bay systems and coastline.
The value and services oyster reefs provide are undeniable. Oyster reefs…
- Are critical in determining current, acting as baffles slowing water surges and stemming shoreline erosion
- Are a seed source for adjacent reefs
- Serve as habitat for hundreds of aquatic species
- Provide recreational fishing opportunities
- Offer other numerous ecosystem services with ecological benefits far greater than the harvest value
While resilient, the oyster fishery has limitations and we must be proactive in our efforts to improve its sustainability and promote reef growth.
Our Solutions:
Improving the Sustainability of our Texas Oyster Fishery
We need to prioritize the ecological and structural value of oysters in the water including safeguarding existing reefs and creating new ones.
Photo Courtesy of John Blaha
Solutions to healthy and sustainable Texas oyster fishery include…
- Promote and increase participation in the license buyback program
- Expand the state bay-bottom lease program (certificate of location) for commercial oystermen
- Create opportunities for non-harvestable bay-bottom conservation leases
- Promote increased participation in cultivated oyster mariculture (oyster farming)
- Designate sanctuary reefs in bay systems to serve as spawning reserves for public reefs
- Refine metrics for opening and closing shellfish harvest areas
- Develop and execute strategic restoration plans
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.
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Texas Oyster Updates
Yesterday, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission (Commission) adopted the proposed changes to the statewide oyster fishery proclamation, which included the closure of oyster reef areas in Ayres, Mesquite and Carlos Bays (three bays), and the temporary closure of restoration areas in Galveston Bay and San Antonio Bay.
Carlos Reef is an important part of the habitat along the Texas coast. This was once a continuous structure from San Jose Island to Bloodworth Island. Now it serves as weakened baffle structure. It is important to maintain this reef to preserve its integrity, which is integral to the health of our fishery and the ecosystem as a whole.
Second Chain of Islands is a little more difficult to track because it is so fragmented from the passage of time, years of harvest, and the forces of nature.
Ayers Reef is one of the last 2 remaining intact barrier reefs. It is the first to accept the force of water coming out of San Antonio Bay and Espritu Santu since the Second Chain of Islands has been so greatly diminished. It must be saved through a sanctuary program.
At one time there were three islands in the Mesquite Bay Complex. Third Chain of Islands were a mainstay in attenuating the wave action coming out of Mesquite Bay. It has become degraded and must be protected.
We need you to help rescue our oyster reefs. Here is a quick breakdown.
Cedar Reef deserves to be a sanctuary so it will not be further degraded by man or by nature. It has served us well for a long time and should continue to do so.
Please take 3 quick minutes to hear what they have to say on the CRITICAL importance of the oyster reefs, specifically in Ayres, Mesquite, and Carlos Bays, of our Texas Coast!
From Texas Parks and Wildlife: “The Proposed Amendment Would Close Reefs in Ayres, Mesquite, and Carlos Bays to Oyster Harvest.”
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.
