tp@wd closing oyster

[Leemo]

TP&W is at fault .......not the fishermen, you can’t have a sustainable resource if you don’t have a steady influx of fresh water, TP&W has allowed our Bay system to become hyper/salinity ! How? By not stopping the sale of fresh water headed down stream to supply the estuaries and Bays, TP&W is one of the most incompetent agencies/institutions in the state of Texas, run by bafoons with textbook answers

[PondPopper]

They need to issue more private leases. The public/ open bay reefs are a free for all - Exploitation of South Dollar Reef - YouTube

That is just sickening and is exactly what Christmas bay looked like several years ago, and its a pot hole compared to Galveston Bay in size... Those sorry MF'ers destroyed the reefs in Christmas Bay.. The trash/garbage they left behind in the water and on the bank was unreal too... Most were from out of state..

[SabineHunter]

When I retire, I will be a burr in the side of TPW and CCA in regards to oysters. I hope some of you will join me.

[PondPopper]

Bonnen made an attempt at slowing it down after Christmas Bay was raped in 2017..

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwi4v9zxoen0AhVaCZ0JHe7bCNsQFnoECAMQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.texassaltwaterfishingmagazine.com%2Ffishing%2Feducation%2Fconservation%2Frepresentative-dennis-bonnen-receives-cca-texas-conservation-hero-award&usg=AOvVaw3FvhzQkc8dtgx4o9c9H_x2

[JES]

A few years ago TPWD closed East Matagorda to oystering, our local CCA chapter had TPWD come out and explain how they determine which bays to close, etc. Basically the surveys indicated a low level of mature oysters, so they close the areas for two years as that is how long it will take for the living oysters to grow and multiply to a sustainable level for commercial harvest.

I do agree with many posts on here it seems out of control at times when the boats come form all over and converge on a reef and then it is essentially gone as they have removed almost all they can get to.

I think Half Moon reef on the West end of West Matagorda is an example of a reef that was harvested to the point it was almost gone. Major project was put in place to restore the reef, but not sure if it is oysters there now or they just dumped rocks. I'm sure the oysters attach themselves to the structure and regrow.

I recall reading in Rudy Grieger's book about him using old beer cans to start re-growing oysters and making his own reefs. I'll have to go back and read his book again.

I love eating oysters, but the commercialization of slow growing natural resources needs to be re-evaluated. Maybe private leases are the way forward, limiting licenses and reducing the number of out of state boats. I'm glad that after the mess in Christmas Bay there was legislation put in to protect the near shore reefs that has easy public access.

I also believe CCA selectively takes on challenging issues. I am of the opinion that making croaker a game fish would have an immediate positive impact on our trout population. But, there is a massive number of guides who rely on croaker for their Summer business. Thankfully our favorite TBH guide acts ethically and is a great example of how a good guide should act.

Fresh water flow is an other example of what CCA refuses to take on. Our bays are starving for freshwater.

The Book of Texas Bays is a great read about how the reduced water inflow is impacting our bays. When I bought this book I assumed it was a coffee table book with lots of great pictures of our bays. It's actually written by an environmental lawyer, (hiss, boo, bad people, I know...) He gives a great history of our bays form Sabine Lake all the way to the Rio Grande and the impacts to each of them form various issues, chemical waste to lack of fresh water inflow. Great book, worth the time to read it.

https://www.tamupress.com/book/9781603447829/the-book-of-texas-bays/

Sorry, ADD took over and went off on a tangent

[Leemo]

TP&Ws method of sampling oysters is a joke.....computer tells the techs where to sample! Another joke, the mean sampling depth of water must be 3 meters or greater, the techs use a Mississippi mud dredge with no “sugar” line, techs are not seasoned oystermen , therefore have NO knowledge of what they’re doing, if the sample site that’s computer generated is already dead, guess what? The samples are dead
TP&W is one big arse joke

[SabineHunter]

A few years ago TPWD closed East Matagorda to oystering, our local CCA chapter had TPWD come out and explain how they determine which bays to close, etc. Basically the surveys indicated a low level of mature oysters, so they close the areas for two years as that is how long it will take for the living oysters to grow and multiply to a sustainable level for commercial harvest.

I do agree with many posts on here it seems out of control at times when the boats come form all over and converge on a reef and then it is essentially gone as they have removed almost all they can get to.

I think Half Moon reef on the West end of West Matagorda is an example of a reef that was harvested to the point it was almost gone. Major project was put in place to restore the reef, but not sure if it is oysters there now or they just dumped rocks. I'm sure the oysters attach themselves to the structure and regrow.

I recall reading in Rudy Grieger's book about him using old beer cans to start re-growing oysters and making his own reefs. I'll have to go back and read his book again.

I love eating oysters, but the commercialization of slow growing natural resources needs to be re-evaluated. Maybe private leases are the way forward, limiting licenses and reducing the number of out of state boats. I'm glad that after the mess in Christmas Bay there was legislation put in to protect the near shore reefs that has easy public access.

I also believe CCA selectively takes on challenging issues. I am of the opinion that making croaker a game fish would have an immediate positive impact on our trout population. But, there is a massive number of guides who rely on croaker for their Summer business. Thankfully our favorite TBH guide acts ethically and is a great example of how a good guide should act.

Fresh water flow is an other example of what CCA refuses to take on. Our bays are starving for freshwater.

The Book of Texas Bays is a great read about how the reduced water inflow is impacting our bays. When I bought this book I assumed it was a coffee table book with lots of great pictures of our bays. It's actually written by an environmental lawyer, (hiss, boo, bad people, I know...) He gives a great history of our bays form Sabine Lake all the way to the Rio Grande and the impacts to each of them form various issues, chemical waste to lack of fresh water inflow. Great book, worth the time to read it.

https://www.tamupress.com/book/9781603447829/the-book-of-texas-bays/

Sorry, ADD took over and went off on a tangent

Great points.

[El General]

TP&W is at fault .......not the fishermen, you can’t have a sustainable resource if you don’t have a steady influx of fresh water, TP&W has allowed our Bay system to become hyper/salinity ! How? By not stopping the sale of fresh water headed down stream to supply the estuaries and Bays, TP&W is one of the most incompetent agencies/institutions in the state of Texas, run by bafoons with textbook answers

I don't think TP&W has statutory control over the lakes and rivers that feed the bay systems.

[zztex]

A few years ago TPWD closed East Matagorda to oystering, our local CCA chapter had TPWD come out and explain how they determine which bays to close, etc. Basically the surveys indicated a low level of mature oysters, so they close the areas for two years as that is how long it will take for the living oysters to grow and multiply to a sustainable level for commercial harvest.

I do agree with many posts on here it seems out of control at times when the boats come form all over and converge on a reef and then it is essentially gone as they have removed almost all they can get to.

I think Half Moon reef on the West end of West Matagorda is an example of a reef that was harvested to the point it was almost gone. Major project was put in place to restore the reef, but not sure if it is oysters there now or they just dumped rocks. I'm sure the oysters attach themselves to the structure and regrow.

I recall reading in Rudy Grieger's book about him using old beer cans to start re-growing oysters and making his own reefs. I'll have to go back and read his book again.

I love eating oysters, but the commercialization of slow growing natural resources needs to be re-evaluated. Maybe private leases are the way forward, limiting licenses and reducing the number of out of state boats. I'm glad that after the mess in Christmas Bay there was legislation put in to protect the near shore reefs that has easy public access.

I also believe CCA selectively takes on challenging issues. I am of the opinion that making croaker a game fish would have an immediate positive impact on our trout population. But, there is a massive number of guides who rely on croaker for their Summer business. Thankfully our favorite TBH guide acts ethically and is a great example of how a good guide should act.

Fresh water flow is an other example of what CCA refuses to take on. Our bays are starving for freshwater.

The Book of Texas Bays is a great read about how the reduced water inflow is impacting our bays. When I bought this book I assumed it was a coffee table book with lots of great pictures of our bays. It's actually written by an environmental lawyer, (hiss, boo, bad people, I know...) He gives a great history of our bays form Sabine Lake all the way to the Rio Grande and the impacts to each of them form various issues, chemical waste to lack of fresh water inflow. Great book, worth the time to read it.

https://www.tamupress.com/book/9781603447829/the-book-of-texas-bays/

Sorry, ADD took over and went off on a tangent

I bought that book from an estate sale in my neighborhood a few years ago. Sounds like I need to read

[Leemo]

I don't think TP&W has statutory control over the lakes and rivers that feed the bay systems.

I never said they did..... I said TP&W has done nothing, you don’t have to have control over something to make a point or try, TP&W does squat

[El General]

Fresh water flow is an other example of what CCA refuses to take on. Our bays are starving for freshwater.

Good post.

CCA has tried to take on freshwater inflow issues, but has mostly fought a losing battle. The people using that freshwater like municipalities, heavy industry, and agriculture all have deeper lobbying pockets than CCA, so the direct approach isn't very realistic or fruitful.

There was a group that was trying to secure increased freshwater inflow through the Whooping Crane and its ESA protection, but they lost in court.

[Leemo]

Contact......Bill Balboa with the Matagorda Bay Foundation; he’s a great guy with a heart of gold trying to protect what we have left of Matagorda Bay, tell him your concerns about whatever bothers you! Mine is freshwater, nothing survives without it

[Capt Glenn]

It's the biggest issue our bays face for sure.

[DUKFVR]

TP&W is at fault .......not the fishermen, you can’t have a sustainable resource if you don’t have a steady influx of fresh water, TP&W has allowed our Bay system to become hyper/salinity ! How? By not stopping the sale of fresh water headed down stream to supply the estuaries and Bays, TP&W is one of the most incompetent agencies/institutions in the state of Texas, run by bafoons with textbook answers

This Man knows the truth! He sees it everyday!

[DUKFVR]

to.


I recall reading in Rudy Grieger's book about him using old beer cans to start re-growing oysters and making his own reefs. I'll have to go back and read his book again.


Fresh water flow is an other example of what CCA refuses to take on. Our bays are starving for freshwater.

The Book of Texas Bays is a great read about how the reduced water inflow is impacting our bays. When I bought this book I assumed it was a coffee table book with lots of great pictures of our bays. It's actually written by an environmental lawyer, (hiss, boo, bad people, I know...) He gives a great history of our bays form Sabine Lake all the way to the Rio Grande and the impacts to each of them form various issues, chemical waste to lack of fresh water inflow. Great book, worth the time to read it.

https://www.tamupress.com/book/9781603447829/the-book-of-texas-bays/

Sorry, ADD took over and went off on a tangent

Rudy Grigar did do that with cans. He had a set up of them out on the chandeleurs when I fished with him. The man truly was thinking ahead of the curve. I enjoyed his stories of fishing etc.