Texas Coastal Bend
Quick look at Coastal Bend Bay Health
Coastal Bend bays are vibrant ecosystems
The Coastal Bend bays are part of the National Estuary Program established by the Environmental Protection Agency to protect estuaries of national significance. They include Corpus Christi and Nueces Bays, the Upper Laguna Madre with Baffin Bay, and the Mission-Aransas Estuary, which includes Aransas, Copano, St. Charles, Mesquite, and Redfish Bays.
Together the Coastal Bend bay systems support vibrant communities of people and wildlife. Coastal Bend habitats attract thousands of species, including the endangered Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle. The Port of Corpus Christi is a major employer in the region, supporting 98,000 jobs in 2020 and serving as an important crude oil refinery hub and exporter of energy products.”
Health of Coastal Bend Bays & Coastal Economies
Water
Balanced levels of nutrients, like nitrogen and phosphorus, support life in our bays. Nutrient conditions in the Coastal Bend are generally good. One notable exception is Baffin Bay, where too many nutrients from surface runoff have upset the balance of the ecosystem.
The amount and timing of freshwater inflow to estuaries helps regulate salinity and nutrient supply. Fewer high flow events and more frequent low flows are occurring in the Coastal Bend region than in the past, which increases salinity and negatively affects sensitive species.
The Texas Beach Watch program measures harmful bacteria in the water at recreational beaches to protect human health. In 2021, elevated bacteria levels triggered periodic swim advisories at several beaches around Corpus Christi Bay.
Priority Action
- Increase freshwater delivery to moderate stressful salinity levels during droughts.
- Identify and implement pollution controls to sustain a healthy ecosystem.
Water Measurement Findings
Habitat
Coastal habitats provide feeding grounds and shelter for fish, birds, crabs, sea turtles, and shrimp. They protect the coast from damaging waves and erosion and store carbon.
Wetlands in the Coastal Bend are vulnerable to losses from sea level rise and erosion, while coastal development limits space for adaptation. Decreasing freshwater inflow and changing vegetation types may be affecting how remaining wetland habitats support the species that rely on them.
Seagrass beds in Aransas Bay and Upper Laguna Madre are becoming less densely covered. Poor water quality is a common driver for seagrass loss, but there are not enough data to fully understand this loss in the Coastal Bend.
Priority Action
- Increase monitoring of coastal habitats to identify stressors and support decision making.
Habitat Measurement Findings
Wildlife
Colonial waterbirds are iconic species that gather in dense colonies to nest on small islands within the bays. Some species, like the Black Skimmer, Great Egret, and Caspian Tern, are showing up in fewer numbers than they have in the past, largely because of erosion of nesting islands and changing feeding habitats.
Black Drum, Redfish, and Spotted Seatrout have recovered from historic lows to support an economically important recreational fishing industry in the region. Shrimp are still within acceptable ranges, but populations should be closely monitored to ensure sustainability. Populations of Southern Flounder, Atlantic Croaker, Blue Crab, and Oysters are declining throughout the Coastal Bend.
Priority Action
- Assess fishing and environmental pressures to support sustainable management strategies.
- Restore oyster reef structure and encourage responsible harvest practices to ensure resources for the future.
- Restore and manage rookery islands and other coastal habitats to benefit bird populations.
Assessed waterbird species: Black Skimmer, Great Egret, Reddish Egret, Roseate Spoonbill, Tricolored Heron, Great Blue Heron, Brown Pelican, Caspian Tern, Forster’s Tern
Wildlife Findings
*Oysters score represents Aransas and Copano Bays
Assessed finfish species: Spotted Seatrout, Black Drum, Red Drum, Atlantic Croaker, Southern Flounder
Community
People are part of the ecosystem. Coastal communities affect and are affected by the environment and the natural resources that define ways of life. Healthy bays support healthy communities
Coastal economies provide local jobs, tax income, and ways of life in the Coastal Bend. In 2021, tourism and recreation activities in the 5 coastal counties earned nearly $500 million and commercial fisheries were worth about $21 million. These industries have grown more quickly in the Aransas Bay area than in other Coastal Bend bays. Coastal economies in the Upper Laguna Madre and Corpus Christi areas have grown more slowly than in other Texas coastal regions.
Community resilience is the ability to adapt to environmental changes and recover from disasters. Coastal communities depend on a healthy ecosystem for food, income, coastal protection, and a sense of place. Habitat loss, unsustainable use, storms, and spills can cause damages to property and livelihoods, increase inequality, and reduce quality of life. Approximately 28% of the people in the 5 coastal counties of the Coastal Bend region have 3 or more risk factors that make them more vulnerable, compared to the US average of about 22%.
Priority Action
- Support tourism and recreational opportunities in a way that enhances the local economy while protecting natural resources for future generations.
- Take actions to improve equity, invest in resources for vulnerable populations, and promote proactive disaster planning to create more resilient communities.
- Support efforts to install living shorelines to reduce erosion and protect coastal communities.
Community Measurement Findings
Risk factors include income to poverty ratio, single or no caregiver, crowding, communication barrier, unemployment, disability, no health insurance, age 65+, no vehicle access, no internet access.
Conservation Success Stories
Sink Your Shucks Oyster Shell Recycling Program
The Bringing Baffin Back Initiative
Nurdle Patrol and Texas Litter Database
Partner Organizations
