| 1 | 1 | | 84R31699 BPG-D |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | By: Guillen H.C.R. No. 131 |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | CONCURRENT RESOLUTION |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | WHEREAS, Drought conditions, natural disasters, and |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | overharvesting have had a negative impact on the state's oyster |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | population, but the certificate of location program administered by |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department provides a valuable |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | mitigating effect; and |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | WHEREAS, Designation of an oyster bed as private is achieved |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | through a certificate of location, sometimes referred to as a |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | private oyster lease; the holder of the certificate has the ability |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | to protect his or her oysters from poaching during the time period |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | covered by the certificate; and |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | WHEREAS, Decades ago, Texas Parks and Wildlife was granted |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | exclusive authority to designate an oyster bed as private in order |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | to discourage oyster harvesters from fishing in areas of Galveston |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | Bay closed by the state health department; as filter feeders, |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | however, oysters have the ability to purge themselves of |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | contaminants if they are relocated to safe waters; a certificate of |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | location gives the holder the right to move oysters from restricted |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | or polluted waters to a specific location to allow for the |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | depuration of the oysters to meet the consumption standards set by |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | the Texas Department of State Health Services; and |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | WHEREAS, Coastal fishery experts have found that the |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | certificate of location program is beneficial to both the |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | $3 billion oyster industry and to the public; private lease owners |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | have the assurance that they will reap the benefits earned by the |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | careful cultivation of their oyster beds, while consumers have |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | greater confidence that their oysters are safe to eat; moreover, by |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | naturally removing contaminants from their environment, oysters |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | enhance recreation, tourism, and businesses that rely on clear gulf |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | water; and |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | WHEREAS, At present, the certificate of location program |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | encompasses only a few leases within just one bay, and current |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | leases are due to expire in 2017; by extending and expanding the |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | program, Texas Parks and Wildlife can help revitalize a struggling |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | resource and contribute immeasurably to the future health of an |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | industry; now, therefore, be it |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | RESOLVED, That the 84th Legislature of the State of Texas |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | hereby urge the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to extend and |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | expand its certificate of location program for oyster harvesting; |
|---|
| 44 | 44 | | and, be it further |
|---|
| 45 | 45 | | RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward an |
|---|
| 46 | 46 | | official copy of this resolution to the Texas Parks and Wildlife |
|---|
| 47 | 47 | | Commission. |
|---|