AUSTIN – The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) is closing TX-29 in Aransas Bay to commercial and recreational oyster harvest beginning at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023.  This area was split at the beginning of the season to allow for harvest in the portion of the area outside Carlos Bay. The Carlos Bay portion of TX-29 was closed at the beginning of the season through management action.

This closing is based on samples recently collected by TPWD showing 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 legal-sized oysters (3 inches or greater) and the percentage of small oysters (2-2.9 inches).

All areas currently closed to harvest will continue to be monitored by TPWD and will reopen when criteria thresholds are met. As of Wednesday, Feb 15, 2023, these areas will be open to public oyster harvest:

Galveston Bay

• TX- 8

Matagorda Bay

• TX- 11
• TX- 19
• TX- 20

Corpus Christi Bay

• TX- 33

Lower Laguna Madre

• TX- 34

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