Oyster Resource and Recovery Center

The Oyster Resource and Recovery Center (ORRC), a $5.1 million workforce development award from the Texas Commission for Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and managed by the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies (HRI) at Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi (TAMU-CC), will provide training to those interested in oyster aquaculture. The job training will contribute to sustainable oyster production in coastal states, particularly in Texas, where oyster fisheries have been in decline.

Oysters serve as a major economic driver for coastal communities in Texas, serve as valuable habitat for sportfish, remove nitrogen and carbon from coastal waters, and help stabilize shorelines. Unfortunately, due to catastrophic events in recent years including major hurricanes, large oil spills, and variability in rainfall, yields from the Texas oyster fishery have been historically unpredictable. Through managed oyster aquaculture, oyster growth and development can become more sustainable, providing valuable ecosystem and economic services to communities.

Oyster aquaculture is a new industry to Texas thanks to the passage of recent legislation. Signed into law in 2019, the first permit for oyster aquaculture in Texas was issued by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in 2021. The Oyster Resource and Recovery Center plans to train local stakeholders in oyster aquaculture and help develop a strong workforce within the industry.

The Oyster Resource and Recovery Center will consist of a virtual training facility and will provide workshops in business development, preparation of oyster hatcheries and farm management, as well as development of undergraduate, graduate, and non-academic workforce internship programs with TAMU-CC and other academic institutions.