Southeastern Galveston Bay closed again for harvest due to low abundance of legal-sized oysters

GALVESTON, Texas (KTRK) -- An area of Galveston Bay used for commercial and recreational oyster harvesting will be closed because of low levels of legal-sized oysters for harvest.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is closing the TX 1 harvest area beginning on Tuesday, Jan. 17.

This is the same area that was closed last weekend due to elevated lab results.

SEE PREVIOUS STORY: Southeastern Galveston Bay reopened for harvest weeks after oyster recall

The closing is said to be based on samples recently collected by TPWD that showed the low abundance of the oysters.

TPWD said it 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 (3inches 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 are met, the department said.

The following areas will be open to public oyster harvest on Jan. 17.

Galveston Bay

• TX- 8

Matagorda Bay

• TX- 11

• TX- 19

• TX- 20

Corpus Christi Bay

• TX- 33

Lower Laguna Madre

• TX- 34

Aransas Bay

• TX- 29 (oyster harvest is open from south ofa line beginning at 2806' 52.19", 96 55' 32.52" (28.11450 N, -96.92570 W) and ending at 28 06' 38.19", 96 53' 17.41" (28.11061 N, - 96.88817 W)

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.