Bay County is facing new limits on oyster harvesting. That’s because the shellfish is reaching critically low numbers in the County’s East Bay. Local oystermen say the new limits are needed for the industry’s survival. The normal limit is 20 bags with each bag weighing about 60 pounds. But Wednesday, the Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission issued an executive order bringing that number of bags down to 10.
“They have been out, kinda scouting over their oysters beds and found that our East Bay has some of the same problems that Apalachicola Bay has and they thought to give the state an opportunity to see if I could help them get kinda a self-imposed reduction in their bag limits to find out what’s wrong or wait till the growing season.” Says Bay County Commissioner Mike Thomas
The restriction will only last for the month of October. But in that time, Bay County is hoping state officials can research a possible solution to the dwindling numbers. Low nutrient levels, the oil spill, and high salinity are all playing a role in the shrinking population. In November, when the restriction ends, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services will survey the area. If the number of oysters is too low, harvesting will be closed for the weekends.
