CORPUS CHRISTI- At its Nov. 7 meeting in Corpus Christi, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission (TPW) adopted Cultivated Oyster Mariculture (COM) rule changes to clarify and refine current program rules.

The commission also voted to temporarily close two oyster restoration areas in Galveston Bay to help protect the reefs and support oyster recovery.

Cultivated Oyster Mariculture (COM) Rule Changes

There are currently 12 grow-out sites (farms) in Texas that grow and harvest oysters for consumption. Since the first official oyster harvest in April 2022, these sites have produced more than 1.7 million Texas mariculture oysters.

As this fledgling program continues to develop in Texas, TPWD revisited the rules to reduce regulatory burden and clarify compliance with federal regulations

“Cultivated Oyster Mariculture is a burgeoning industry in Texas that offers another opportunity for businesses to get Texas oysters in the market for consumers,” said Robin Riechers, director of TPWD’s Coastal Fisheries Division. “The proposed changes again included elements that were changed to make certain mariculture operations easier to conduct, creating greater market opportunity for use of product, allow for easier transfer of the businesses and ensure that Texas continues to meet all federal regulations.”

Temporary Closure of Oyster Restoration Areas in Galveston Bay

In addition to the adoption of the new COM regulations, the commission also approved the temporary closure of two oyster restoration areas in Galveston Bay.

The oyster restoration areas in Galveston Bay that will be temporarily closed for two harvest seasons include:

• Galveston Bay – 543 acres
  • Desperation Reef – 14 acres
    • Restoration acreage – 14 acres
  • Dollar Reef – 529 acres
    • Restoration acreage- 139 acres

The temporarily closed oyster restoration areas in the Galveston Bay Complex will reopen for public harvest on Nov. 1, 2026.

These temporary closures allow recently restored reefs time to recruit new oysters and grow until the reef is healthy enough to be harvested.

Successful oyster reef restoration projects are dependent on larval recruitment and growth within the first two years. Past TPWD monitoring has shown that these types of restorations are incredibly successful, and reefs that have been closed for two years are healthier than non-restored comparable reference reefs up to nine years later.

For more information about oysters and how they benefit the environment, TPWD’s oyster restoration efforts and the growing Cultivated Oyster Mariculture program, be sure to check out the November Issue of the TPWD Magazine, which includes the feature story: Oysters on the Edge.