State officials have temporarily closed nearly all public oyster harvest areas, saying that doing so will allow fishermen a chance at harvesting oysters in the future.
Amid this, constant consumer demand means the oysters that do survive are plucked up by fishermen. Visitors from around the world want to try Gulf oysters, and the high end shellfish remain a restaurant staple for local diners.
Closing the reefs “is the right move,” said Amanda Fuller, director of the coast and water program from the National Wildlife Federation. “But I think that there’s still a very large and looming question about the overall sustainability of the oyster fishery in Texas and Gulf-wide.” Getting this right matters: These reefs, after all, are about more than a fun happy hour. They provide important habitat for other marine life, improve water quality by filtering out pollutants and protect shorelines. But all these proposals require money and time.
Around 75 oyster fishermen returned Thursday, at least one in rubber boots, to hold signs and shout yet again. Gigi Cruz, a 53-year-old from Port Lavaca, yelled so loudly she was losing her voice. Diane Wilson, an environmental advocate, commented among the crowd, “They’re fighting for their survival.”
On one hand workers spoke of the value of this work and how it contributed to their sense of self. On the other was the role the reefs play in the ecology. Fishermen spoke just as passionately about wanting to save the bays where they spent hours casting lines. J.T. Van Zandt described seeing the reefs scraped down “into parking lots” and worried kids wouldn’t get to see the same beauty he had because the fish habitat wouldn’t be there.
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