Permanent and temporary closures of oyster harvesting areas by the Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife (TDPW) have brought protests by oyster fishermen and contributing to the shortage of Gulf oysters, as well as high prices. The department said the move was due to a variety of environmental concerns.
The department has converted three bays near Rockport to ‘sanctuary’ status, permanently closed to oyster harvesting. In addition it has issued a temporary closure of oyster harvesting in Galveston Bay, Matagorda Bay, and San Antonio Bay due to a variety of environmental concerns.
‘These closures have completely broken down the oyster supply chain,’ said Gulf Seafood Foundation’s board chair Raz Hallili, and Vice-President of Texas-based Prestige Oyster.
‘Closures have put oystermen, as well as processors across the country, out of business. These closures directly affect the lives of more than 1500 Texas families harvesting oysters.’
Oysters are found in most Texas bays, however over 90% of the public reefs utilised by commercial and recreational fishermen are found in the closed bays.
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, which oversees seafood harvesting in the state, stated: ‘We recognize oysters play a uniquely important ecological and economic role. Our goal is to find a balance between these roles by protecting ecosystems while allowing for sustainable fisheries and coastal communities to thrive. Our management strategies use the best available science to ensure Texas’ oyster populations remain healthy and viable into the future.’
The closures have had a major impact on the oyster harvest season in Texas which runs to the end of April. The shutdown was been based on samples collected by the department showing a low abundance of legal-sized oysters.
According to Raz Hallili, pricing on oysters have hit an all time high. The Texas closures, along with the hurricanes in Louisiana, rising fuel and shipping costs and supply shortages have been contributing factors. ‘Operating and fuel prices are going insane. Now with the closures, it’s not a pretty picture.’
Oyster prices were already rising steadily following the four hurricanes over two years in Louisiana, especially the last one, Hurricane Ida, which struck the heart of the state’s oyster production. High prices and oyster shortages have already had affects on restaurants across the country, but especially along the Gulf of Mexico.
Drago’s, a New Orleans area restaurant known for char-grilled oysters, has taken all oyster items off the menu except for their signature-grilled oysters, as well as oysters on the half-shell.
In response to the closings, Texas oysterman John Jurisich started the Facebook group Save Texas Oysters that has led to protests. Members of the ‘Save Texas Fishermen Coalition’ say reef closings have effectively ended most commercial oyster fishing in Texas.
‘My boat is sitting at my house. I haven’t been able to work in three weeks. It’s getting super tough,’ one oysterman at a protest a told the local press.
For Raz Hallili it’s the permanent closures that are more worrisome because oystermen will ‘never harvest cultivated oysters from there again.’
‘As an oysterman I feel targeted,’ he said.
‘If the goal is to make these ‘sanctuary reefs’ then no sport fishing, no recreational and no commercial fishing of any kind should be allowed. Right now Parks and Wildlife have only targeted oyster fishermen. If it is going to be a ‘sanctuary reef’, make it a ‘sanctuary reef’ for everyone,’ he said, commenting that he doesn’t see the price of oysters coming down any time soon. ‘Maybe in the fall when areas in Texas and the Chesapeake reopen.’
Main image: The oyster area closures have completely broken down the oyster supply chain according to Raz Hallili, and Vice-President of Texas-based Prestige Oyster, working on one of his family’s boats. Image: Prestige Oyster
