County commissioners have agreed to make an official request to state shellfish regulators to allow oystermen to work at night during the summer months.
Oystermen along the Gulf Coast are currently facing tougher harvesting restrictions from May through October each year because of a move to lower the already low number of people affected by Vibrio Vulnificus in oysters. The proposed changes include limiting the amount of time oystermen can be on the water from May through October from dawn till 10:45 in the morning.
Oyster processors are also looking at tighter restrictions including a requirement that they be able to cool oysters to 55 degrees or less within 8 hours – for many dealers that would require better cooling systems than they have now.
All of the new rules are designed to keep harvested oysters out of the hot summer sun – oystermen however say the new rules will basically keep them from being able to make any money during the summer.
County commissioners feel that most of the proposed rules would be unnecessary if the oystermen could simply work at night during the hottest part of the year. State officials said at a recent public workshop that night oystering could be considered but the county has never requested that it be done.
Commissioners did make an official request last week and will now have to see how the Florida Department of Agriculture and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission respond to the request.
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