Texas Parks and Wildlife Department closing section of Aransas Bay to oyster harvesting

Christopher Howley, Corpus Christi Caller Times
·1 min read

A closure in Aransas Bay will put a pause on the Texas public oyster season starting Jan. 8.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is closing TX-32 in the bay to commercial and recreational oyster harvest at 12:01 a.m.

The department deemed the closure necessary after studies showed a low abundance of legal-sized oysters in the area. A legal-sized oyster is 3 inches or greater in size.

Ellis Chapman holds a shucked oyster in his hand, Thursday, Feb. 25, 2021, at Harte Research Institute's oyster farm in Palacios.
Ellis Chapman holds a shucked oyster in his hand, Thursday, Feb. 25, 2021, at Harte Research Institute's oyster farm in Palacios.

Following Saturday's closure, the area will be monitored by TPWD and will reopen when the oysters meet the size criteria.

The Texas public oyster season in Aransas Bay runs from Nov. 1 to April 30.

For a map of the Coastal Bend oyster harvesting areas, visit the Department of State Health Services website.

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Christopher Howley covers entertainment and community news in South Texas. Support more coverage like this at Caller.com/subscribe.

This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Section of Aransas Bay to be closed to oyster harvesting