AUSTIN – The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) is opening TX-18 in Matagorda Bay to commercial and recreational oyster harvest beginning12:01 a.m. Feb. 7.

Based on samples recently collected by TPWD, the area meets criteria for reopening. These criteria include parameters for oysters reaching certain thresholds based on the abundance of legal-sized oysters (3 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 TX area can be found on the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) website.