At its August meeting, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) proposed a new management framework for commercial and recreational oyster harvest in Apalachicola Bay and updates for rules that will apply statewide.
Staff recommend reopening Apalachicola Bay's oyster fishery with annual harvest levels based on oyster abundance to foster ongoing reef recovery. Statewide rule updates will help minimize reef loss and promote good harvest practices.
“We want to be able to get as many boats back in the water as soon as possible, while supporting the bay’s continued recovery and sustainability,” said FWC Commissioner Preston Farrior.
The proposed changes for the limited opening of Apalachicola Bay recreational and commercial harvest include:
Establishing a process to set annual harvest levels for specific reefs in the bay that meet a minimum threshold of oyster abundance.
Establishing a harvest season with the initial season taking place Jan. 1, 2026 – Feb. 28, 2026, and then continuing with a normal fall season start to be October – February moving forward.
Requiring a Commercial Apalachicola Bay (AB) Endorsement to commercially harvest oysters from the bay. All qualified applicants will have an opportunity to participate in the 2026 season, and the number of participants in the first year will set the cap for subsequent seasons.
Establishing an Apalachicola Bay Recreational Opportunity (ABRO) Permit for recreational harvesters who will be selected through a lottery process.
Establishing reporting requirements for both recreational and commercial harvesters.
The proposed changes for statewide oyster harvest include:
Updating the culling requirements.
Additional information on the proposed changes can be found on the full Commission Meeting Aug. 13-14 agenda, go to MyFWC.com/About and click on “The Commission” and “Commission Meetings.”
Staff will continue to gather public feedback and will return to the Commission in November for a final public hearing.
To provide feedback on the proposed changes to the Apalachicola Bay or statewide oyster harvest, submit comments to the FWC Saltwater Public Comments page or email Marine@MyFWC.com.
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