PANAMA CITY BEACH, Florida — Florida’s wildlife agency said Wednesday it will cut oyster harvesting in Apalachicola Bay nearly in half during the upcoming season.
Details: Commercial and recreational harvesters will be allowed to yield a total of 2,560 bags of oysters during the next season, which begins in October, according to a plan presented during a Florida Fish And Wildlife Conservation Commission meeting. That’s a steep cut from the previous two-month season earlier this year, which allowed for a total 4,940 bags.
In January, FWC opened the bay for the first time in more than five years, after the wild oyster fishery suffered years of decline and a collapse in 2013. The season was a victory for recovery efforts, FWC said, though the oyster population is still being restored.
“This is a huge success,” Commissioner Joshua Kellam said during the Wednesday meeting. “Permits have declined a little bit, but we’ve opened up something that’s been closed for six years and to now have it in a restored fashion where people are now able to get back out on the water.”
