Florida cabinet agrees to expand oyster aquaculture in Wakulla County

The governor and cabinet have approved the expansion of oyster farming in Wakulla County.

The cabinet agreed to open about 70 acres west of Shell Point to oyster aquaculture.

About half of the 38 one and a half acre leases have been taken – the remaining leases are open on a first come-first served basis.

The leases will allow commercial fishermen and others to grow oysters using a variety of methods and the full water column.

Similar activity is already taking place at Alligator Harbor in Franklin county where a number of previous clam leases have been approved for growing oysters.

The state hopes that oyster aquaculture is one way to help take the pressure off the wild oysters in the Apalachicola Bay which were declared a federal fishery failure in 2013.

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