Turning the Tide for Texas Oysters
Getting it right for the Texas Gulf Coast means getting it right for oysters.
Consider the Oyster
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 of Mexico, 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.
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 overharvesting, hurricanes, disease and changes in freshwater flows to Gulf rivers and streams. While just 20-50% of original oyster reefs remain in the Gulf of Mexico, it is considered the last, best hope for full restoration of healthy oyster populations. And that’s just what TNC aims to do.
Dive deeper into our Texas oyster work
Learn more about our oyster reef restoration projects in the Gulf of Mexico

Lessons from Half Moon Reef
Half Moon Reef in Texas’ Matagorda Bay is a cornerstone of TNC’s restoration efforts along the Gulf of Mexico. Once one of the largest and most productive reefs in all of Texas, by the late 20th century, Half Moon Reef had lay barren for decades. In 2014, TNC and partners collaborated on a multi-year project to restore the reef, using more than 100,000 tons of limestone to bring this Texas resource back to life.

Today the reef is teeming with marine wildlife. Oysters can now be found on 70% of the reef’s surface, where they’re helping to improve water quality, bolster sea grass growth and promote biodiversity. It’s also become a hot spot for anglers, who refer to the reef as an area “that holds the fish,” and has helped to generate an additional $1.27 million in annual economic activity for the state of Texas through tourism, fishing guide excursions and recreational fishing.

Consider the Oyster by Bill Rodney
They say oysters are the unsung heroes of our oceans—but no more. Here's a little ditty that sings their praises.
MUSIC AND LYRICS BY BILL RODNEY WITH YANIV BRENNER ON PIANO AND ORGAN
Verse 1:
Consider the humble oyster living on the muddy bottom of the bay
Why it’s just a rock that’s filled with snot, I heard somebody say
But did you know that just one oyster can filter 50 gallons of water in one day?
Now imagine 10 million oysters on a reef, whoa that blows my mind away
Verse 2:
When oysters filter water you know, they strain the small stuff out
Nutritious, delicious phytoplankton baby, that’s what it's all about
But of all the stuff they filter, only some is gonna make it to their mouth
The rest gets wrapped in a mucous ball and pseudo-spitted out
Chorus:
Oysters – they’re filtering machines
Oysters – they'll keep the water clean
Oysters – they’re habitat producers
Oysters – wave energy reducers
Oysters, oysters, oysters…they’re not just for breakfast anymore
Verse 3:
And another thing about oysters, they build these gnarly reefs
That are home to crabs and shrimps and things, that Mr. Redfish likes to eat
Yeah that’s his destination when he's looking to obtain a tasty treat
And that stimulates production in the fishes, yeah I think that’s pretty neat
Verse 4:
When oysters build their gnarly reefs in skinny waters near the marshy shore
This creates an opportunity for the oyster to contribute even more
They attenuate wave energy when the winds blow hard and make the white caps roar
The rugose reefs reduce erosive forces, yeah baby that’s a score
Chorus:
Oysters – they’re filtering machines
Oysters – help keep the water clean
Oysters – they’re habitat producers
Oysters – wave energy reducers
Oysters, oysters, oysters…the best come from Texas, don’t’ mess with the rest cause, they’re not just for breakfast anymore
Copano and Galveston Bay—and Beyond
The success of Half Moon Reef has created a blueprint for coastal restoration across the region. In 2019, with support from the federal Natural Resource Damage Assessment, TNC spearheaded a 60-acre reef restoration project in Copano Bay, north of Corpus Christi, where we took a hybrid approach to reef restoration.
Building off the Half Moon Reef model, half of the reef is a habitat reef, creating a nursery not only for oysters, but fish and other marine life, as well. The other half will be open for commercial oyster harvesting. Then, with funding dedicated by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, we collaborated with partners to create a new, 40-acre oyster reef in Texas’ Galveston Bay, using a similar hybrid model that designates 15 acres for oyster sanctuary and 25 acres as commercially harvestable.

This innovative reef design highlights the importance of protecting marine ecology to safeguard oysters for ecology and economy alike. It also illustrates 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.
Oyster Restoration Report
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Half Moon Reef
Discover how restoring oyster habitat at Half Moon Reef benefitted the economy and ecology of Matagorda Bay.
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