CCA Texas – Certificate of Location Program – (Oyster Leases)

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) recently reviewed applications for the newly revised Certificate of Location (CoL) program. A whopping 152 applications were received during the application period (September-November 2025), representing 9,245 acres. The overwhelming majority of applications were for commercial CoLs, while 3 applications were for restoration CoLs. After a thorough evaluation, TPWD accepted 50 applications as submitted, totaling 3,045 acres. Another 39 applications (2,491 acres) were conditionally accepted pending boundary adjustments because they conflicted with exclusion areas—zones unsuitable for a CoL or affected by other site constraints. The remaining 63 applications, totaling 3,709 acres, were denied due to significant conflicts with exclusion areas or other concerns. Two things are important to note at this early stage of the CoL permitting process: (1) These are areas that have been applied for and there is no guarantee that the applicants will move forward with all the acreage requested, and (2) Applicants whose requests were denied may request additional consultation and may reapply for the same acreage at a different location within the same bay system as their original submission.

CCA Texas, in partnership with the Matagorda Bay Foundation (MBF) and the Gulf Trust (GT), applied for 2 restoration CoLs totaling 25 acres, 15 acres in East Matagorda Bay and 10 acres in Mesquite Bay, and both applications were accepted. This is encouraging news for oyster restoration in two widely used recreational fishing areas. Drift and wade fishing should both remain viable for anglers, and we’re excited to enhance these popular locations. Partnering with MBF and GT lets us draw on each organization’s expertise and outreach networks to build a healthy reef and effectively inform local stakeholders.

Applicants with accepted submissions, including the CCA Texas/MBF/GT partnership, have been given guidance on next steps. The first step is a TPWD‑guided natural resources survey to guarantee that sensitive habitats (including productive oyster reefs) are avoided. After that survey, applications will proceed through multiple state and federal review and approval steps. Although timelines vary, final approval could take roughly 9–18 months, depending on the level of federal review and consultation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and NOAA Fisheries.

As a refresher, the CoL program is jointly managed by TPWD and the Texas General Land Office (GLO). It provides leasing opportunities in Texas coastal waters for private on‑bottom oyster harvesting or restoration. Historically, the program focused on commercial harvest and was limited to roughly 43 locations (2,318 acres) in Galveston Bay. Legislative changes during the 88th session (Senate Bill 1032) and recent Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission rule revisions have expanded the program to support both commercial interests and oyster reef restoration projects—benefiting the fishery and conservation efforts across the coast. Commercial CoLs will be open to harvest by the applicant but off limits to all other commercial oyster harvest. Restoration CoLs will not be open to commercial harvest.

Paired with a strong oyster license buyback program—supported in part by a $1,000,000 donation from CCA Texas—the CoL expansion will help reduce reliance on public reefs, conserve and restore reef complexes, and provide a practical transition option for commercial oystermen dependent on the public-reef fishery. This approach supports Texas marine resources, anglers, and coastal communities.

In late 2025, the CCA Texas Executive Board approved $500,000 for each of the CoL restoration projects in East Matagorda Bay and Mesquite Bay to kick-start restoration once final approvals are granted. The 15 acres in East Matagorda Bay will be just off Eidelbach Flats, Northeast of Long Reef—an already popular drift‑fishing spot that could benefit from a thin layer of cultch to improve oyster spat recruitment. The 10 acres in Mesquite Bay will be at the former Ranch House Reef, a location that experienced heavy harvest pressure before commercial harvest was restricted there through conservation efforts by CCA Texas members and partner organizations.

The approval of restoration CoLs is a significant win for conservation, anglers, and the future of our Texas bay systems. We thank TPWD and GLO staff for their thoughtful work on these regulations and look forward to seeing areas restored through the CoL program, helping keep our coastal ecosystems healthy and resilient for generations to come.

Table 1: Preliminary CoL acreage by bay system*

*This information only reflects acreage upon initial review by TPWD and will certainly change as applicants progress through the process.