DALLAS—A novel claim that a fleet of commercial boats on the Texas coast has exclusive rights to thousands of acres of seabed—and the lucrative oysters found there—has spawned a flurry of high-stakes lawsuits and has state officials saying the move undermines their efforts to protect wildlife.
Some fear the move could lead to a handful of commercial operators holding rights to depleted fisheries, freezing out smaller competitors. The fight could be fierce, in light of how the oyster market alone yielded 4 million pounds and $19.2 million in sales last year.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department issues licenses to fishermen so they can ply the water for marine life, as well as leasing access to restricted waters. Other Gulf states such as Florida and Louisiana have similar regulations, with those states reserving the right to issue leases to fish in certain waters.
The Texas agency says the Legislature gives it the sole authority to regulate the conservation and harvesting of oysters, mussels and other aquatic wildlife. But Tracy Woody cries foul, saying the state department is granting leases to submerged land it does not own and over which it has no oversight authority.
