Photo: Jeff R Clow / Moment / Getty Images
Galveston County officials say oyster harvesters are in need of state and federal assistance since heavy rainfall damaged the oyster population. Galveston County Judge Mark Henry issued a disaster declaration last week, noting state health regulators closed Galveston Bay to harvesting just over a month ago. Heavy rains flowing down the Trinity River have placed too much freshwater in the bay, nearly destroying the oyster beds. The disaster declaration estimated local harvesters' economic losses at just over 15-million-dollars.