TPWD Closes Oyster Harvest Areas in Matagorda Bay

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

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AUSTIN – The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) closed TX-19 and TX-20 in Matagorda Bay to commercial and recreational oyster harvest on Tuesday, April 11, 2023.

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 to 2.9 inches).

All areas closed to harvest will continue to be monitored by TPWD and will reopen when criteria thresholds are met.

Below are the areas open to public oyster harvest until the end of the season on April 30:

Galveston Bay

  • TX- 8

Matagorda Bay

  • TX- 11

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.