Texas Opens Rare Midseason Oyster Harvesting Area

Matagorda Bay reopening comes as other key areas remain closed due to sustainability concerns.

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has opened a previously closed oyster harvesting area of Matagorda Bay, an unusual move this late in the season. The department cited favorable environmental conditions and the growth of oysters to market size as the reasons for the reopening. However, the agency has also had to close other key harvesting areas earlier in the season due to sustainability concerns.

Why it matters

The opening of the Matagorda Bay area provides a rare bit of good news for Gulf Coast oyster harvesters, who have faced numerous challenges in recent years including habitat loss, pollution, and overharvesting. The ability to access additional harvesting grounds, even temporarily, could help offset the economic strain on the industry.

The details

The TX-14 area near Palacios, which had been closed, reopened to commercial and recreational harvesting on March 7th. According to Kelley Kowal of the TPWD's coastal fisheries division, the area exhibited a high abundance of market-size oysters during preseason sampling, allowing it to meet the requirements for reopening. However, the department has had to close other key harvesting areas earlier in the season, including TX-19 near Port Lavaca in January and TX-5 in central Galveston Bay last month, due to concerns about sustainability and harvest pressure.

  • The oyster harvesting season in Texas opened on November 1, 2025.
  • TX-14 in Matagorda Bay reopened to harvesting on March 7, 2026.
  • TX-19 near Port Lavaca was closed in January 2026.
  • TX-5 in central Galveston Bay was closed in February 2026.
  • The oyster harvesting season in Texas ends on April 30, 2026.

The players

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

The state agency responsible for managing and regulating oyster harvesting in Texas waters.

Kelley Kowal

The upper coast regional director for the TPWD's coastal fisheries division.

John Eads

The chair of the board of directors for the new conservation nonprofit Coastal Preservation and Restoration, and a member of TPWD's oyster advisory committee.

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What they’re saying

“During preseason sampling, this area exhibited a relatively high abundance of market-size oysters and oysters measuring 2–2.99 inches; however, at that time, it did not meet the requirements for opening. This season's mild winter, combined with favorable environmental conditions within the bay, has allowed many of the oysters in the 2–2.99 inch size class to grow to market size, thereby enabling the area to meet the opening threshold.”

— Kelley Kowal, Upper Coast Regional Director, TPWD Coastal Fisheries Division (chron.com)

“Initially, I expected about half the last round, or between 50-60. However, the oyster market has been soft and the fishermen's catches are down as a result, [so] we may see more sellers than I originally expected. The first week or so should tell us a lot.”

— John Eads, Chair, Coastal Preservation and Restoration Board of Directors (chron.com)

What’s next

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will provide more information about the upcoming round of its voluntary oyster license buyback program on March 23, 2026.

The takeaway

The reopening of the Matagorda Bay oyster harvesting area provides a rare bit of good news for an industry that has faced numerous challenges in recent years. However, the overall sustainability of Texas' oyster fisheries remains a concern, as evidenced by the earlier closures of other key harvesting areas.