The World is Their Oyster: The Oyster Bros. Expand and Modernize a Third-Generation Texas Seafood Legacy

This third-generation seafood family transitioned from shrimping and now produces millions of oysters each season along Texas’ Gulf Coast.

PALACIOS, TEXAS (RFD News) — Two brothers are finishing another oyster harvest season on the Texas Gulf Coast.

The Texas Farm Bureau introduces us to David and Jacob Aparicio, known as The Oyster Bros., who come from a third-generation shrimping family and saw an opportunity to expand into another branch of aquaculture. The brothers started with around 500,000 oysters and have since grown their operation to about 4 million, shipping product across the Southeast and Southwest.

David Aparicio says the most rewarding part of the job is seeing the process from beginning to end.

“My favorite thing about growing oysters is the process of it,” he said. “I love seeing them from start to finish. It makes you proud whenever you have a really good product.”

Family plays a central role in the business. Jacob Aparicio says that the connection extends beyond just the two brothers.

“The guys that work for us, they all worked for my dad,” he said. “They’ve been with us for two generations now. They’re all kin themselves.”

Texas produces about 15 percent of the nation’s oyster harvest each year, generating more than $33 million in value.

Related Stories
Meet Catherine Puckett, a single mom and first-generation oyster FarmHER on Block Island, RI, who balances raising two daughters with running her oyster farm, “Oyster Wench.”
Out of the sea and into the greenhouse. Harvest salt from the ocean with South Carolina FarmHer Teresa Smithmyer.

Knoxville native Neal Burnette-Irwin is a graduate from MTSU where he majored in Journalism and Entertainment Studies. He works as a digital content producer with RFD News and is represented by multiple talent agencies in Nashville and Chicago.


LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

More than 15 million birds were affected by bird flu, but fewer outbreaks are helping bring egg prices down
Shaun Haney, host of RealAg Radio, outlines potential risks for agriculture as negotiations continue between the two countries
State leaders say the program continues to build the next generation of farmers and producers
Researchers say new technology will continue to drive innovation in forest operations.
Nearly 50,000 cattle impacted as producers search for feed and recovery options
Education efforts give visitors a closer look at dairy farming at the Rodeo Austin Livestock Show with the help of a cute cow named Lucy.
Agriculture Shows
Misilla is the host of Learn to Grow and The Crafty Mom on YouTube. A Pacific Northwest mother of four who is passionate about organic gardening, sustainable living, homesteading, and education, her videos and social media posts consist of gardening, outdoor recreation, healthy living, crafts, science experiments, DIY projects, and delicious recipes.
Crop yield champions David Hula from Virginia and Randy Dowdy from Georgia are back for another season with the aim of schooling more growers across the country in their winning ways.
“Texas Agriculture Matters” is a fun, informative look at the role of agriculture in our daily lives. The show utilizes the trademark wit and wisdom of its host Commissioner Sid Miller — an 8th-generation farmer-rancher and 12-time World Champion rodeo cowboy — to explore a new Texas ag-related topic each week.
From barnyards and back roads to metros and highways, Simply Southern TV on RFD Network explores all of Alabama to bring you the best stories on farming, gardening, forestry, rural living, and youth in agriculture.