Galveston Bay Water Quality Affects Swimming and Shellfish Harvesting

Galveston Bay is divided into approved, conditional, restricted, and prohibited shellfish areas. DSHS says the status can change each day after rain, flooding, spills, red tide, or trouble at a wastewater plant.

Before taking oysters or other molluscan shellfish, check the live DSHS viewer and current status. Water outside a specifically classified area is prohibited for harvest. A map shows the legal area; the daily status tells you whether it is open now.

Swimming is a different question. Use Texas Beach Watch for current bacteria advisories at sampled Gulf beaches. Bay water, private canals, and unsampled shorelines may need a local check. Do not use a shellfish map as a swimming report.