The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission delayed a vote Wednesday to finalize a 5 year moratorium of wild-oyster harvesting in the Apalachicola Bay.
The Commission said it wants to address additional concerns from area residents and will revisit the issue at its December meeting.
The Commission approved an Executive order in July which imposed the ban on oyster harvesting, and that remains in effect.
The moratorium is an effort to help restore the wild oyster population in the Bay.
The rule also prohibits the possession of oyster tongs or other oyster harvesting equipment on the water.
The rule does not affect perpetual leases or aquaculture.
The move was supported by a number of groups including many seafood workers, though oyster harvesters have expressed concerns about what the state of the oysters will be in 5 years if the bars are not worked regularly.
The Apalachicola Bay once produced 90% of Florida’s commercial oyster harvest.
The oyster industry in Apalachicola collapsed in 2012 leading to a Commercial Fisheries Disaster Declaration from the U.S. Department of Commerce in 2013.
The dockside value of wild oysters harvested from Apalachicola Bay has declined by 98 percent since 2012.
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