Using Corpus Linguistics to Investigate Approaches to Oyster Fishery Management Across Political Boundaries

Abstract

Oysters are critical resources that filter water, generate habitat, and safeguard shorelines in coastal and marine ecosystems. Balancing conservation needs with sustainable oyster fisheries is essential for maintaining oyster health and stocks. In the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, oyster resources are managed by five states (Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida), each with unique approaches and priorities. This study analyzes the most current oyster management guidance document for each state using corpus linguistics techniques—including keyword and concordance analyses—to identify linguistic distinctions that reflect state-specific management priorities. Findings reveal that Florida’s document is the most distinctive, emphasizing oyster stressors and habitat. Louisiana’s document reflects its role as a major oyster producer. Mississippi’s document uniquely highlighted aquaculture as a strategy for recovering from environmental stressors. The theme of oyster restoration is robust in Alabama’s 2021 document but absent in Texas’s 1988 document, highlighting temporal differences in management priorities. In addition, common themes such as state-specific oyster stressors emerged among the distinctions. These results demonstrate how management priorities vary across political boundaries and provide insights for improving regional coordination. This approach offers a framework that can inform natural resource management strategies in other contexts and in other regions globally.