The cumulative impact of hurricanes, floods, drought, and oil spills has had a devastating impact on Texas oyster beds. Across the Gulf Coast region, an estimated 50-85% of the original oyster reefs have disappeared, according to a report by the Nature Conservancy. This has a major impact because the Gulf Coast region produces 45% of the nation’s $250 million oyster industry, according to NOAA fisheries. In Texas, the industry contributes an estimated $50 million to the state economy.

NPR reports that 25 of Texas’ 27 harvesting areas are already closed. The season normally runs from Nov. 1 through April 30, but many of the areas have been closed since mid-December – a move the state says is necessary for future sustainability.

Those in the oyster business worry about the sustainability of their industry and livelihoods — and it’s set up a clash between state officials and oyster harvesters over how the resource should be managed.

The Texas Parks & Wildlife Department decides when to close areas for harvesting using a traffic-light system that went into effect in 2015. If samples taken by state biologists come back with too many small oysters or too few oysters in general the agency closes the area.

State officials say the closures are necessary to give oysters time to repopulate. Oysters prevent shoreline erosion and help filter the water, but unlike fish, they can’t swim away to escape poor conditions.

While it’s unusual to have so many closures, it’s also in line with the trends the agency has been seeing in oyster populations.

While the oyster fishermen share the state’s concerns over the survival of the oyster beds, their laid-up oyster boats and lack of revenue make them concerned about their own survival as well.