EasternOyster_7YearPlan_Ozmore_Keith_HuntsvilleTX_8October1999_Reel2046.wav

Keith Ozmore [00:00:01] Now, in 1963, Governor Connally was responsible for enacting a law in Austin that united the Parks Department and the Game and Fish Department. So we have the Parks and Wildlife. And actually, my boss, my friend Bob Eckhardt, was in the Legislature and he actually voted for it because it was a good concept.

Keith Ozmore [00:00:31] But we found out that Governor Connally wasn't interested in efficiency. He wanted to be able to name the new members of the Commission. And he did so. And the first thing they did was to turn the shell dredgers loose on our oyster reefs.

Keith Ozmore [00:00:47] We had had for decades real hard, firm regulations controlling the dredgers. They were not to dredge any exposed shell. They were not to dredge any shell except that covered with two feet of overburden - soil, or mud, or sand. They were not to dredge within two thousand feet of an oyster reef.

Keith Ozmore [00:01:09] They just threw those regulations out the window, and let the shell dredgers move up to 300 feet from the edge of the reef. And, of course, they could put a dredge on this side, on the outgoing tide, and silt that reef up. Then they could put the dredge on this side, on the incoming tide, and silt that reef up. And pretty soon the reef was covered over and they had the whole thing destroyed.

Keith Ozmore [00:01:34] One of the shell dredgers actually published a document, that he called, "The Seven Year Plan". And they planned to clean every yard of exposed shell out of the Galveston Bay complex in seven years.

Keith Ozmore [00:01:50] We didn't let them stay there for seven years.

Keith Ozmore [00:01:54] In fact, we brought suit against the shell dredgers, seeking an injunction. And the oystermen of course, were one of our plaintiffs. And the judge granted an injunction in Houston.

Keith Ozmore [00:02:11] And after the hearing was over, the lawyer for the shell dredgers walked out of court and walked up to Lamar Gellum, who owned a marina down at San Leon, and he shook his finger in Lamar's face and said, "You won this round. But if we win on appeal, we're going to sue you for every blankety-blank dime you've got!".

Keith Ozmore [00:02:35] And of course, that frightened, that frightened our plaintiffs, you know, who, who had something to lose. It didn't bother the Sportsman's Club because they didn't have the money to start with. But it frightened the other plaintiffs off.