New oyster harvesting hours for the months of November and April as well as new tagging requirements will take effect at the end of this month.
The Department of Agriculture said that beginning August 31st oysters harvested outside of the existing time and temperature regulations will require a special tag that spells out that the oysters are for shucking or post harvest treatment only.
The new tags will be bright green with big letters so they really stand out.
Also as of August 31st, oystermen working during the month of April will have to have their oysters to a dealer by 4 in the afternoon, and during November the oysters will have to be in by 5.
Theses new rules are part of what seems to be an endless stream of regulations to lower the already very low number of people who become sick from Vibrio vulnificus, a bacteria which lives naturally in Gulf waters and in Gulf oysters.
Vibrio has no effect on healthy individuals but can kill people with liver disease or with compromised immune systems.
On average about 7 people a year get sick from oysters harvested in Florida and 3 of them die.
Nationwide the number is about 30 people a year.
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