Did you know North Florida’s oyster fisheries dates back to the 1800s and at one point produced 90 percent of Florida’s oysters and 10 percent of the nation’s oysters?
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has unanimously approved a plan to suspend commercial and recreational harvest of wild oysters from Apalachicola Bay for five years. The rule will go into effect on Aug. 1. Under the new rule, on-the-water possession of wild oyster harvesting equipment, such as hand tongs, would also be prohibited through December 31, 2025.
The rules only apply to wild oysters and do not apply to oyster aquaculture operations. Staff will return for a final public hearing at the October Commission meeting. FWC’s large-scale restoration project will be ongoing on for five years and the largest portion of funding, nearly $17 million, will go directly toward forming 1,000 acres of oyster reef habitat.
