Local oystermen are not happy about some proposed new rules coming down the pike that will change the way they harvest oysters during the summer months. About 50 oyster harvesters and dealers turned out at a workshop Wednesday to learn more about the proposed rules which are designed to help protect oyster consumers from a naturally occurring bacterium called Vibrio Vulnificus.
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 – that rule is designed to keep harvested oysters out of the hot summer sun. Oystermen might be able to work longer if they can install some form of cooling system on their boats. That is unlikely because of the small size of local oysterboats.
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.
The Department of Agriculture, which oversees oyster harvesting in Florida, says the new rules are needed to meet a federal requirement of lowering the number of illnesses and deaths caused by Vibrio vulnificus by 60 percent. If that reduction is not met then the industry could be looking at even harsher restrictions. Currently about 30 people a year get sick from Vibrio and about 15 die nationwide. Its estimated only two people a year die from oysters harvested from the Apalachicola bay.
Oystermen say the rules are just too much and will likely keep them from making any money during the summer. One oysterman pointed out that as a single parent he could not be one bay from sunrise till 10:45 because he can’t even get his child on the school bus till almost 8 o’clock. Others pointed out that oystermen don’t generally work specific hours anyway but tend to wait for favorable tides.
Many who attended the workshop said they felt the proposed rules are so bad they would rather see a 6 week closure of the industry during the hottest portion of the summer if it means they could harvest longer hours for the rest of the summer season, especially if the workweek were expanded to 7 days during the open times.
It was also pointed out that if oystermen could work at night that oysters would remain cool and oystermen could work longer. Oystering at night is currently banned but state officials said if the oyster industry were to make an official request for night oystering the proposal could at least be considered.
The proposed rules are not yet set in stone. State workers said all of the comments made Wednesday night will be taken into account while the final rules are being created and people can still make comments and suggestions at least for the next month.
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