Tension grows in bay during oyster rescue mission
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MEDIA ALERT
PRESS CONFERENCE
Oyster Boats are reporting harassment in Galveston Bay the last few days, part of a growing tension that is now interfering with a special rescue mission underway to save the oyster population.
State Game Wardens have now been asked to increase patrols of the bay before the dispute escalates.
Tuesday morning, May 26th at 9:00 am Concerned Citizens of Galveston Bay will hold a news conference and media tour to the battleground in the bay.
First the oyster problem. The continuing heavy rains have affected the salinity in Trinity and East Galveston Bay and thousands of young oysters are being moved to safer waters to save them. That special operation is taking place in now disputed waters.
The Chambers County Navigation District leased 23,000 acres of Galveston Bay bottom to a company called STORM, run by two powerful political figures in Chambers County for just 1.50 an acre. The sweetheart deal would give them a virtual monopoly over half of the oyster production in Galveston Bay, including public reefs and private reefs where other companies have invested millions to produce oysters. That backroom deal is already being challenged for violating the Texas Open Meetings Act. Concerned citizens call it a theft of the tax-payers resources.
The state says the lease isn’t valid, yet oyster companies trying to move their oysters from the area report they are being harassed and encircled by STORM boats with video cameras and dangerous maneuvers. The company has already sent out no trespassing
letters.
“These Chambers County guys must be drinking alligator cool-aid, says Wayne Dolcefino, President of Dolcefino Consulting and spokesman for the Concerned Citizens”, but they need to back off now.” “And while there at it, perhaps Chambers County Navigation Officials could take a refresher course in ethics and transparency, just saying”.
Reporters should arrive at Prestige Oyster Company at 103 Avenue C and First Street by 9 am for a tour of the area where the oyster population is being moved and the boat disputes are
occurring.
office 713-360-6911 wayne@dolcefinoconsulting.com
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