The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission voted yes Thursday to preliminary guidelines that would partially reopen Apalachicola Bay for oyster harvesting.
The bay collapsed in 2013, and its been closed since 2020 to allow the oyster reefs to recover.
They approved Option 2 with some medications. They limited the season will be from January 1st to the end of February. They increased the unsized oysters from 5 to 30.
Option 2 will allow any qualified harvester who applies for the AB Endorsement in the first year to receive one.
The main season will be from October 2026 to February 2027.
In February, we reported that oysters are not only a huge driver for the economy for Apalachicola and the surrounding areas, but also for the environment.
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