TPWD Closes Oyster Harvesting Areas TX-7 Galveston Bay, TX-20 Matagorda Bay
Summary
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) is closing oyster harvesting areas TX-7 in Galveston Bay and TX-20 in Matagorda Bay to commercial and recreational oyster harvest due to low abundance of legal-sized oysters. TX-7 will close at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, April 14, 2026, and TX-20 will close at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, April 15, 2026. The closures are based on samples collected by TPWD showing oysters below the threshold abundance of three inches or greater.
What changed
TPWD is implementing harvest closures for oyster areas TX-7 (Galveston Bay) and TX-20 (Matagorda Bay) based on criteria developed with the oyster industry. The closures are triggered when abundance of oysters three inches or greater falls below specified thresholds. These are temporary administrative closures that will remain in effect until areas meet reopening criteria thresholds. Affected commercial and recreational oyster harvesters should be aware that harvesting is prohibited in these designated areas once the closure times take effect. TPWD will continue monitoring all closed areas and will reopen them when oyster populations recover to acceptable levels.
The closures are expected to temporarily reduce oyster harvesting access in Texas bays. Commercial oyster harvesters operating in TX-7 and TX-20 should plan accordingly for the period during which these areas remain closed. The status of all oyster harvesting areas is available on the Texas Department of State Health Services shellfish harvest map.
Archived snapshot
Apr 20, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
TPWD Closing Oyster Harvesting Areas in Galveston Bay and Matagorda Bay
April 10, 2026
Media Contact: TPWD News, Business Hours, 512-389-8030
AUSTIN – The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) is closing oyster harvesting area TX-7 in Galveston Bay and TX-20 in Matagorda Bay to commercial and recreational oyster harvest. TX-7 will close beginning 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, April 14, and TX-20 will close 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, April 15. These closures are based on samples recently collected by TPWD showing a 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 oysters three 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 area, can be found on the Texas Department of State Health Services website.
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