More oyster harvesting areas to close at sunset

More of the Apalachicola Bay will close to oyster harvesting today. The Department of Agriculture says it will close area 1611 west at sunset today. The conditionally approved winter west 2 area 1622 and the conditionally approved winter east area 1642 of the Apalachicola bay were already closed on Saturday. There is also the possibility that area 1611 East could close on Tuesday but that decision won’t be made until water samples are taken from the area. The closure is due to high water levels in the Apalachicola River due to heavy rains caused by the remnants of Tropical Storm Ida. The river is near 20 feet at Blountstown today, which is 5 feet above flood stage. Under the current Apalachicola Bay management plan, the Department of Agriculture begins closing oyster harvesting areas when the river rises above 11.2 feet.

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