County commission concerned about proposed Alligator Harbor oyster lease

County commissioners have raised some concerns about a requested aquaculture lease in Alligator Harbor.

The Department of Agriculture is currently considering two aquaculture leases in Franklin County.

One is requested for Alligator Harbor where clam farming is already taking place and the other is for 2 acres of bay bottom just off of the Highway 98 Highway 65 intersection.

In both cases the person requesting the lease wants to try growing oysters.

One proposal is to modify two existing clam leases in Alligator Harbor to allow the lease holder to try and grow oysters on raised platforms within the existing lease.

The second proposal is for the lease of 2 acres of bottom directly across from the intersection of SR 65 and US 98 where the lease holder would attempt oyster cultivation in that area using “soft mesh bags along with some hard bags and possibly bottom planting.

County commissioners say they support the attempts, but did have some concerns that allowing raised platforms in Alligator Harbor could pose a hazard to boaters in the area.

The commission agreed to send its concerns to the Department of Agriculture – the county has the opportunity to provide comment on the proposed leases but the Board does not have any authority to approve or deny the proposed leases.

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