Over-regulated gulf oyster industry could face new rules

The good news is that the Florida oyster industry is in good compliance with federal rules designed to protect oyster consumers from Vibrio Vulnificus.

The bad news is the feds are looking at a new way to measure Vibrio danger which could require even more rules.

Leslie Palmer, the Director of the Division of Aquaculture, told Franklin County commissioners this week that the Florida oyster industry has done an outstanding job in meeting all of the requirements of the Food and Drug Administration and the Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Commission.

In fact the Florida oyster industry may have the best compliance on the Gulf and maybe even in the nation.

To reach that level of compliance, the industry has seen a number of new time and temperature rules that govern the hours oystermen can work and how long they have to get their oysters under refrigeration.

County commissioners said the restrictions have really made it hard for oystermen to make a living.

And now the ISSC may be moving away from Time and temperature rules to gauging Vibrio danger by measuring water temperature.

If that change is allowed it could require even tighter harvesting restrictions during the summer months though it could loosen the rules in other months.

Leslie Palmer said the state plans to fight that proposal.

Florida either wants to keep the existing rules because they have already been implemented successfully in the state but also because water temperature is not the only factor to consider when it comes to Vibrio.

Water salinity is also very important and that needs to be taken into account before any new rules are created.

According to Miss Palmer, recent studies are showing higher salinity inhibits Vibrio growth.

All of the existing rules and proposed rules are designed to protect a very small group of oyster consumers from the naturally occurring Vibrio Vulnificus bacteria.

Vibrio is harmless to healthy people but can be fatal to people with certain pre-existing conditions especially diseases that weaken the immune system.

The bacteria lives in Gulf waters and susceptible people can even get sick just by going in the water with an open cut.

Vibrio affects about 30 people nationwide every year, about half of them die.

Fewer than one death a year is traced to Vibrio Vulnificus from oysters harvested from the Apalachicola bay.

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