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Stories in Texas

Turning the Tide for Texas Oysters

Getting it right for the Texas Gulf Coast means getting it right for oysters.

Two men stand on a boat on the ocean using a machine to draw oysters out of the water.
Texas Oysters Rebuilding oyster habitat ensures that we're giving back as we take, keeping our Gulf coastline healthy and thriving. © Claire Everett

Consider the Oyster

Tipping Point for Texas Oysters (4:44) Working with partners and Gulf fishers, we aim to restore marine habitat while helping revive the economic vitality of our fisheries.

In Texas, that might call to mind your favorite raw bar or drum up memories of family vacations along the Gulf Coast. But there’s more than meets the eye when it comes to these underwater powerhouses. In addition to filtering water and promoting marine biodiversity, oyster shells have long been used as livestock feed, in manufacturing and as paving material—the Houston Astrodome alone used 500,000 cubic yards of oyster shells to construct its stadium and parking lot.

In the Gulf, fisheries serve as the cornerstone of a $220 million national industry, producing nearly half of all oysters consumed in the U.S. each year and impacting the state economy to the tune of $43 million annually. Put simply: Thriving oyster populations are vital to the health and prosperity of the Gulf region.

Facts on the Half Shell

  • Blue water droplet.

    50 gal

    One oyster can filter more than 50 gallons of water in a day—about the amount that the average person uses for a 10-minute shower.

  • Blue waves.

    70%

    Roughly 70% of the oysters harvested annually in Texas come from Galveston Bay.

  • Blue fish and oysters.

    300

    Oyster reefs provide habitat for nearly 300 marine species in our Gulf waters, including many important recreational and commercial fish species.

  • A fish swims in a reef.

    1,014%

    Four years after Half Moon Reef's completion, biodiversity was 1,014% greater on the reef than the adjacent bay bottom.

Restoring Texas' Oyster Reefs

The eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) is considered one of the most valuable fishery resources on the Texas coast. While smaller oyster populations have been found further south, historically, eastern oysters have primarily been found in the brackish bays of Texas' upper and middle coasts. Here, freshwater and saltwater meet and mix, providing the best conditions for large oyster reefs to form.

But the alarming decline of shellfish reefs has made oyster reefs one of the most threatened marine habitats on Earth. A study led by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) found that 85% of oyster reefs globally have been lost due to the impacts of climate change, hurricanes, disease and changes in freshwater flows. While just 20-50% of original oyster reefs remain along the Gulf Coast, the Gulf is considered the best hope for restoring healthy oyster populations.

Two women stand on a boat in the ocean holding clusters of oysters.
A NEW RESTORATION APPROACH In the Gulf and beyond, supporting sustainable, productive fisheries while protecting marine habitats gives us the biggest win-win scenario. © Jerod Foster

Although we cannot restore oysters to the state they were once in, there is hope for the people and nature that depend on our Gulf Coast and its rich resources. TNC has been working with a variety of partners across industries to bring our beloved oysters back to life. In Texas, we’ve had a hand in creating four reefs, resulting in over 160 acres restored. These efforts have not only enhanced marine biodiversity but also improved water quality by filtering millions of gallons of water daily. Reefs like these provide critical habitat for many marine species and support local economies through more sustainable oyster harvesting and increased recreational fishing opportunities.

Our Work in the Water


2014
Three men on a boat pull up a sampling net.
Half Moon Reef Restored oysters are helping to improve water quality, bolster sea grass growth and promote biodiversity on Half Moon Reef.

2014

Half Moon Reef

TNC and partners collaborated on a multi-year project to restore Half Moon Reef in Matagorda Bay, using 100,000 tons of limestone to bring this 54-acre reef back to life. Today, oysters can be found on 70% of the reef’s surface.


2019
A pile of oysters in murky water.
Lap Reef Lap Reef was monitored in collaboration with partners for multiple years after it was restored. The entire reef proved to be resilient through commercial oyster harvest and hurricane events with continued oyster growth over a four-year monitoring period. © Terry Palmer

2019

Lap Reef

TNC's 60-acre Lap Reef, located in Copano Bay, uses a hybrid approach to restoration: half was designed as a non-harvestable sanctuary reef and half was created with the intention of opening for commercial oyster harvesting.


2021
An excavator sits on a barge in the ocean, dumping limestone boulders in a bay.
Beezley Reef TNC and partners at Texas Parks and Wildlife and Galveston Bay Foundation replicated the part sanctuary, part harvestable design in Galveston Bay. With funding from private donors and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, TNC collaborated to create a 40-acre oyster reef designating 15 acres for oyster sanctuary and 25 acres as commercially harvestable oyster reef. © HDR

2021

Beezely Reef

This 40-acre oyster reef is the first-ever sustainable oyster reef completed in Galveston Bay. Like Lap Reef, a portion was designed for commercial oyster harvest and a portion will serve as a non-harvestable sanctuary reef.


2024
A boat filled with oyster shells cruises along in the ocean.
Rett Reef TNC collaborated closely with San Leon Oyster Fest and Texas Sea Grant for post-restoration monitoring to measure the reef’s success and to better understand the local ecological knowledge of oyster harvesters who spend their lives out on the water.

2024

Rett Reef

TNC and San Leon Oyster Fest restored the 10-acre Rett Reef in Galveston Bay. This reef is the first non-harvestable oyster reef restoration led by a commercial oyster harvester in Texas to support sustainable oyster populations.

A mound of oyster shells stretches out across shallow ocean waters.
BENEFICIAL BIVALVES In some cases, oysters can serve as biological breakwaters, helping to provide a natural barrier to waves and sea-level rise—especially as our climate continues to change. © Claire Everett

Charting the Future for Texas Oysters

While there is still much to be done to restore healthy oyster populations, TNC is dedicated to making a lasting impact in the Gulf. We’re actively engaging in habitat restoration, community collaboration and scientific research to develop integrated restoration, recovery and management plans that honor the traditional use and cultural ties to oyster harvesting.

A person holds a crab on a boat near a cage used for sampling.
PROVIDING HABITAT In addition to marine habitat, oyster reefs provide critical habitat and support food sources for many species of birds. © Erika Nortemann/TNC

Our oyster projects demonstrate the importance of protecting our bays and estuaries to safeguard oysters for ecology and economy alike. They also illustrate how conservation can bring often-competing interests to the table around a common goal: more oysters. Supporting sustainable, productive fisheries while protecting marine habitats gives us the biggest win-win scenario and proves that we don’t have to choose between ecological health and economic prosperity—we can help people and nature thrive, together.

We hope these reefs and partnerships inspire others interested in oyster reef restoration and help TNC achieve our goal for the Gulf: to restore oyster populations and sustain a viable oyster fishery.

Photos from the Field

See TNC's oyster restoration work in action!

Eight grilled oysters sit on a plate with a lemon wedge.
A man and woman stand in a pile of oyster shells with orange buckets also filled with oyster shells.
Three men stand on a boat sorting oysters at a table.
A massive pile of white oyster shells.
Three women stand on a boat holding containers filled with oysters.
A mand and woman examine a tile coverd in baby oysters and other marine debris with a magnifier in a lab.
Two people stand in a shallow bay, carrying bags of oysters that are place in the water.
A woman holds a red bucket to scoop up oysters from a larger pile.
A hand holds a rocky, muddy cluster of oysters with a small fish hiding inside.
Three women and one man stand on a boat on the ocean.
Eight grilled oysters sit on a plate with a lemon wedge.

ON THE HALF SHELL: In 2019, Texas produced over 3.5 million pounds of oysters from public and private reefs. © Claire Everett/TNC

A man and woman stand in a pile of oyster shells with orange buckets also filled with oyster shells.

WORKING TOGETHER: Volunteers help partners build a reef using recycled oyster shells. © Galveston Bay Foundation

Three men stand on a boat sorting oysters at a table.

OYSTER HARVEST: The Texas oyster industry acounts for about 15% of the nation’s total harvest. © Claire Everett/TNC

A massive pile of white oyster shells.

RECYCLING FOR RESTORATION: Recycled shells from local restaurants cure in the sun for 6 months before being used for restoration efforts. © Galveston Bay Fondation

Three women stand on a boat holding containers filled with oysters.

SANCTUARY AT SEA: Texas Sea Grant and TNC staff support Rett Reef, the first-ever sanctuary reef created by an oyster industry member in Texas. © Claire Everett/TNC

A mand and woman examine a tile coverd in baby oysters and other marine debris with a magnifier in a lab.

SAMPLING THE BAY: TNC and TPWD staff process oyster samples from a part commercially harvestable, part sanctuary oyster reef in Galveston Bay at TPWD’s lab in Dickinson, Texas. © Claire Everett/TNC

Two people stand in a shallow bay, carrying bags of oysters that are place in the water.

BUILDING BACK OYSTERS: Recycled oyster shells are bagged and placed in a bay, creating a new oyster reef. © Galveston Bay Foundation

A woman holds a red bucket to scoop up oysters from a larger pile.

HOME ON THE BAY: Once recycled shells like these are placed in the water, free-floating baby oysters wil attach to them and grow into a reef. © Galveston Bay Foundation

A hand holds a rocky, muddy cluster of oysters with a small fish hiding inside.

SOUNDS OF THE SEA: The Gulf toadfish (Opsanus beta), seen hiding in a cluster of oysters here, is one of only a few species of fish that can make sounds loud enough for people to hear. © Philip Souza

Three women and one man stand on a boat on the ocean.

PARTNERS IN MONITORING: Staff from TNC, TPWD and Galveston Bay Foundation conduct oyster monitoring on Galveston Bay. © Kathy Sweezey/TNC

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