GALVESTON – A Republican leader issued a strong statement to capture Gov. Greg Abbott’s attention.
“Galveston and Chambers counties are facing an unprecedented crisis that threatens the livelihoods of many families and businesses,” Rep. Terri Leo Wilson (R-Galveston) posted on her Facebook page.
The Crisis: Record flooding and heavy rainfall.
Both counties have been severely impacted by devastating blows to their oyster harvesters.
Raz Halili, vice president of Prestige Oyster Inc., explained the challenges facing his industry.
“Oysters need a combination of freshwater and saltwater to grow and thrive; that’s what we have in Galveston Bay,” said Raz Halili, vice president of Prestige Oyster Inc. “When oysters get too much rainfall or too much saltwater, they will die. Right now, we have too much freshwater in Galveston Bay, and that’s what is killing the oysters.”
“All of the freshwater from the Trinity River, when they release levees, ends up in Galveston Bay; the water up north in Dallas, Conroe, etc., makes its way to Galveston Bay. I understand they must release the water into the Bay once homes start to flood, but the impact is devastating to oysters.”
Why Texans should care
Texans now understand the problem, but why should people who don’t eat oysters care about what’s going on in the industry?
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, “oysters filter and clean their surrounding water, filtering out pollutants. Additionally, oyster reefs can serve as a barrier to storms and tides.”
Halili elaborated on how oyster reefs protect the shoreline: “When the tides come in and out, oyster reefs serve as a barrier, absorbing the tide before it comes to the shore.”
The industry was just beginning to recover since Hurricane Ike wiped out as many as 80% of oysters in East Galveston Bay, according to estimates from the Texas Park and Wildlife. Halili estimates his company has lost over 13 million adult oysters in the past month and a half, which equates to about $5 million.
“The extensive freshwater influx and resulting low salinity have devastated our oyster beds, with both Galveston and Chambers counties reporting close to 100 percent mortality in oyster leases. This disaster will cost millions in losses and severely impact our economy. It is imperative that we receive state support to help our communities recover,” Rep. Wilson added in her Facebook post.
Galveston County officials are hoping state and federal authorities will aid oyster harvesters. Galveston County Judge Mark Henry issued a disaster declaration on June 5, valuing economic losses at just over $15 million for Galveston Bay harvesters. In his disaster declaration, Henry noted state health regulators had closed Galveston Bay to harvesting on May 8.
To mitigate the economic blow and prevent price increases, Halili moved most of his operations to Louisiana.
“There is a good amount of oyster inventory in Louisiana; all of my boats we have shifted over to Louisiana and we are harvesting from there and I’m holding off raising prices because the inventory in Louisiana is solid.”