“STORM” threats sets stage for trouble on the Bay
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On July 28th, 2015 a private company called STORM issued a written warning to the State of Texas.
STORM said their company now controlled 23,000 acres of Galveston Bay, not the people of Texas, and they announced they would stop any other fishermen from harvesting oysters. The acreage represents about half the total oyster population in Galveston Bay.
Before the week ended, the State filed a lawsuit, warning STORM they would pay for the potential damage to the natural resources of Texas, calling their claim to the bay bottom totally illegal.
Now the real showdown begins.
Prestige Oysters has already accused STORM Boats of harassing their boats, delaying the rescue of tens of thousands of baby oysters which have now died. Game wardens have already been monitoring the growing oyster battle.
Prestige has now announced plans to plant the rocks needed to cultivate new oysters on a lease they have from the State of Texas. The lease is in territory STORM claims it now controls.
“My family will not be intimidated. We will guard our investment and we count on the game wardens to protect us,” says Lisa Halili.
STORM owners claim they are now the bosses of the bay, citing a lease they got from the Chambers Liberty County Navigation District. The state sued the navigation district too. The navigation district board members are appointed by local politicians. The owner of STORM is a local judge, who is on the taxpayers’ payroll in Chambers County even though he rarely goes to a courtroom.
Dolcefino Consulting has also filed a lawsuit, accusing CLCND of violating Texas transparency laws. CLCND also refuses to release an audio tape of a public meeting.
“The silence of the Chambers County attorney and District Attorney to this smelly deal is embarrassing,” says Dolcefino.
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