Farmed oysters are rounder and more consistent in size than wild harvested oysters.
The oyster mariculture industry kicked off in Texas in August, the result of new legislation authored by state Rep. Todd Hunter (R-District 23). He hosts an online symposium on the new industry from 2-3 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 16, at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. The public is invited to view the symposium at this link.
Until House Bill 1300 was approved by the 86th Legislature in 2019, Texas was the only coastal state in the country that did not allow cultivated oyster mariculture, or oyster farming. Texas restaurants have imported farm-grown, half-shell oysters from other states.
“The time has come for these Texas-grown oysters to be served in restaurants across this country,” Hunter said. “We have worked for years to bring oyster mariculture to Texas because the economic and cultural benefits for our region are limitless. This will allow us to share more of the Coastal Bend with the rest of the state and country.”
Mariculture oysters rely on seed oysters produced in a hatchery. They are bred to be sterile, which allows for year-round harvesting. They differ from wild harvested oysters in shape; farmed oysters tend to be rounder, while wild oysters are longer.
Hunter worked with Corpus Christi business owners to pass the bill.
“Two years ago, Rep. Hunter charged our ‘Grow Texas Oysters’ group with the mission of bringing back the Coastal Bend Oyster … and to do so in a way that creates economic opportunity, preserves environmental sustainability, and enhances the recreational/tourism experience,” said Brad Lomax, owner of Waterstreet Restaurants in Corpus Christi in a release. “Under Todd's leadership and with his guidance, The Texas Cultivated Oyster Mariculture program has put us on the path to ‘mission accomplished!’”
For those interested in starting an oyster farm, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department launched a website and FAQ page with more information.
