Shrinking Population Forces Shutdown of Oyster Harvesting in Florida Bay
Oyster harvesters set out early in the Florida Panhandle’s Apalachicola Bay in 2016. (Taimy Alvarez/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP, File) (CN) — Florida officials voted Wednesday to shut down oyster harvesting in Apalachicola Bay, a major source of the nation’s supply, due to a diminished population caused by low freshwater flows. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission approved a measure that will suspend all harvesting of wild oysters from the bay through December 2025, or “until 300 bags per acre of adult oysters can be found on a significant number of reefs.” Th...
Source: courthousenews.com