AUSTIN — The Texas commercial and recreational oyster season opens Tuesday, Nov. 1 and closes April 30, 2023. In an effort to protect and restore oyster reefs showing signs of environmental stress, many shellfish harvest areas will be closed to oyster fishing at the beginning of this season.
“Oysters are the bedrock for the vitality of our bays along the mid and upper Texas coast,” said Carter Smith, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Executive Director. “They are essential to the health of our fish and wildlife, water quality, commercial and recreational fishing, tourism, and coastal economies. Over time, a variety of environmental factors and localized harvest pressures have greatly impacted this valuable natural resource across the entire Gulf Coast. We will continue to work closely with the Texas legislature and our stakeholders to create, restore, and maintain healthy, sustainable oyster populations and habitats so that a viable oyster fishery can persist in Texas.”
In March 2022, the Texas Parks and Wildlife (TPW) Commission directed TPWD to form an ad hoc oyster advisory workgroup representing all the stakeholders who shared feedback to further study oyster management strategies and issues surrounding the sustainability of oysters in our bay systems.
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