AUSTIN – Texas game wardens in Calhoun and Aransas counties last week led a multi-agency law enforcement surge operation targeting illegal commercial oyster harvest and possession along the coastal bend, netting more than 140 criminal cases. Many of the violations were for possession of undersized oysters that the state’s prized reef ecosystem requires for sustainability and long-term health.
Operation Reef Safeguard I consisted of patrols by Texas game wardens between Dec. 10-14 in collaboration with law enforcement officers with the U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Coast Guard, Calhoun County Sherriff’s Office and the Aransas County Sherriff’s Office.
“Since 1895, Texas Game Wardens have proudly protected the state’s oyster resources,” said Col. Grahame Jones, Law Enforcement Director for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. “Texas game wardens consider the protection of our natural resources, including oysters and the reefs they create to be a priority. Texas game wardens take the protection of our oyster reefs very seriously and we will remain committed through increased patrols. Additionally, we will proactively enforce laws regarding oystering in polluted waters with a zero-tolerance approach and will arrest those who place consumers’ health at serious risk.”
Thanks to additional laws created by the 85th Texas Legislature to help combat the harvest of undersized oysters through enhanced penalties, law enforcement officials are now able to hold all workers on oyster boats accountable for possession of undersized oysters. Previously, only the boat’s captain was responsible for an illegal catch. New rules that took effect November 2017 reduce the allowable amount of undersized oyster taken from 15 percent to 5 percent and provided an enhanced penalty for the possession of undersized oyster to an arrestable offense. Some of the violators intercepted during the operation possessed cargos consisting of up to