Answers to all of the questions you may have about Texas oysters
Oysters are called a keystone species because their reefs support an entire ecosystem. They provide habitat for fish, crabs, and shrimp, and their filtering ability improves water quality, which benefits countless other marine organisms. Without oysters, the health and biodiversity of our bays decline dramatically.
A single adult oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water every day. This helps remove excess nutrients, improve water clarity, and support other marine life. Oyster reefs also stabilize shorelines against erosion and create safe habitats for a variety of coastal species.
In Texas, farmed oysters typically reach market size in 8 to 9 months, depending on environmental factors such as, salinity, food availability, and water temperature. For reference, East Coast oysters can take between 2 to 3 years to mature to market size.
The Eastern oyster or Crassostrea virginica is the only oyster species naturally found in Texas bays and across the Gulf Coast.
“Gulf oyster” is the regional name for Eastern oysters harvested from the Gulf Coast waters. They’re known for being larger, saltier in comparison to oysters from colder Atlantic waters. Be sure to ask the server at your favorite seafood restaurant for farmed Gulf oysters to ensure that you're not eating a dredged oyster.
Farm-raised oysters in Texas are grown in floating cages suspended in the water column. They’re cleaner, more uniform in size, and harvested without damaging reefs or other marine habitats. Dredged oysters are pulled from wild reefs by dragging heavy equipment that scrapes the bay bottom, which can harm habitats and reduce wild oyster populations.
This saying comes from long before the days of modern refrigeration. In warmer months (May–August), wild oysters would spoil more easily. Thanks to modern technology and oyster farming, oysters are now safe and delicious to enjoy year-round.
The average price of a sack of 100 farmed oysters is between $70-$100.
