12-19 | TPWD Closing Oyster Harvest Areas in Galveston and Matagorda Bays

Dec. 19, 2024

Media Contact: TPWD News, Business Hours, 512-389-8030

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AUSTIN – The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) is closing TX-4 in Galveston Bay and TX-20 in Matagorda Bay to commercial and recreational oyster harvest. TX-4 in Galveston Bay will be closed beginning 12:01 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 22, and TX-20 in Matagorda Bay will be closed beginning 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 24. These closures are based on samples recently collected by TPWD showing a low abundance of legal-sized oysters.

TPWD has worked with the oyster industry to develop criteria for closing areas to harvest. The criteria include parameters for oysters when they fall below certain thresholds based on the abundance of oysters three inches or greater.

TPWD will continue to monitor all areas currently closed to harvest and will reopen them when they meet criteria thresholds.

A map showing oyster harvesting areas, as well as the most up-to-date status information on each area, can be found on the Texas Department of State Health Services website.