The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) is opening several bays to commercial and recreational oyster harvest beginning 12:01 a.m. Nov. 1. Since Nov. 1 falls on a Saturday, the first legal day for commercial oyster harvest will be Monday, Nov. 3.
“In an effort to aid Texas’ commercial oyster fishermen this season, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has elected to temporarily depart from strict adherence to the established thresholds for the 2025-2026 season,” said Robin Riechers, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Coastal Fisheries Division Director. “Maintaining the balance of conserving oyster resources with fishing opportunities for the commercial industry is important for the industry and for Texas’ reefs both now and for the future.”
To establish which harvest areas will be open at the beginning of the oyster season in Texas, TPWD collects samples prior to the shellfish harvesting season. The factors evaluated include reaching certain thresholds based on the abundance of legal-sized oysters (3-inches or greater).
After evaluating pre-season oyster samples, two of the areas opened met the threshold and five additional TX areas were identified that contained some reefs with a relatively high abundance of market oysters along with reefs of lower abundance. These harvest areas of TX 1, TX 5, TX 7 in Galveston Bay; TX-13, TX-19, TX-20, and TX-21 in Matagorda Bay; along with TX-29 and TX-30 in Aransas Bay will be open for harvest on Nov. 1. Opening these TX areas will provide more fishing opportunities and better distribute the fleet when the 2025-2026 season begins.
TPWD will continue monitoring all harvest areas and will open or close areas based on when respective thresholds are met.
