Seafood Workers Association President quits post during contentious meeting

The Franklin County Seafood Workers Association needs a new president.

Shannon Hartsfield, who has led the group since 2011, unexpectedly quit during a very contentious emergency meeting Friday night.

The Seafood Workers had convened to discuss whether to request a long-term bay closure to help rebuild the dwindling oyster population.

Apalachicola Bay oysters have been decimated in recent years; the causes are still being researched, but years long drought and a lack of fresh water from the Apalachicola river are considered the primary causes.

Mister Hartsfield was hoping to find consensus on a request to close the bay to oyster harvesting for 18 months or longer to give the population time to rebound on its own.

 There would also be a small shelling program to help.

Hundreds of oyster harvesters filled the courthouse annex; many of the most vocal were adamantly opposed to closing the bay.

The discussions became very heated and there was at least one altercation that required a sheriff’s deputy to get involved.

By the end of the meeting, a petition was being distributed asking that not only should the bay stay open, but that the state open the entire bay to give oystermen more room to work.

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