Lavaca Bay areas 1-3 are open to commercial oyster harvest as of 12:01 a.m. February 2. These conditionally approved areas and Espiritu Santo Bay are the only bays currently open to shellfish harvesting at this time. The Texas Department of State Health Services will continue to monitor the red tide and will open other areas for harvesting when it is safe to do so. For the latest information on the opening and closing of oyster harvest areas, call DSHS at 1-800-685-0361.

Portions of Galveston Bay to Open Following Red Tide
DSHS will open Conditionally Approved Area 1 as well as the North, Central, Smith Point and East Approved Areas of Galveston Bay beginning Thursday, February 9. Espiritu Santo and Conditionally Approved Areas 1, 2 and 3 of Lavaca Bay remain open to shellfish harvesting as well.

Dinophysis Detected at Two Locations Along Texas Coast
TPWD has confirmed a Dinophysis bloom at Surfside Marina in Freeport following a report of discolored water. In addition, TAMU’s Imaging Flow CytoBot has detected rising concentrations of Dinophysis at the UTMSI pier in Port Aransas. Levels at Port Aransas are currently too low to discolor the water. Dinophysis does not cause aerosol effects or widespread fish kill like Karenia brevis (red tide), but the okadaic acid toxin is taken up by oysters, rendering them inedible.

Meridith Byrd
Texas Parks and Wildlife