Shellfish aficionados and commercial harvesters, get ready to shuck and jive as the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) throws open the doors to two oyster harvest areas in Matagorda Bay. Starting bright and early at 12:01 a.m. on December 13, TX-19 and TX-20 will be up for grabs for those looking to reel in some of nature's briny bounty.
According to TPWD, these areas are back in business after a fresh round of samples showed they've got just the right number of sizable oysters. However, TX-13's not making the cut, and is getting the boot due to a paltry count of legal-sized oysters, those measuring 3 inches or greater. The department is taking a science-backed approach, closing off areas when oyster populations don't measure up, and only giving the green light when they hit their growth spurt to sustainable levels.
But TPWD isn't just opening and closing areas on a whim. They're keeping a watchful eye on the beds, poised to once again welcome harvesters when the little-shelled critters are ready for primetime. As it stands, Galveston Bay's TX-2 and TX-8, along with TX-11 in Matagorda Bay, TX-33 in Corpus Christi Bay, and TX-34 in Lower Laguna Madre, are open and awaiting oyster seekers.
For the ocean-faring crowd that likes to know exactly where they're dropping anchor, there's a map detailing oyster harvest hotspots on the Texas Department of State Health Services website. Here they can dive into the latest status information on each TX area before setting sail. Click here for a direct line to all the details you'll need to get harvesting.
