Oyster Harvesting Opens October 7

The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Marine Resources Division (MRD) will open limited areas of public oyster bottoms for weekday harvest beginning on October 7 from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Harvesters are reminded to visit the Oyster Management Stations (OMS) across from Jemison’s Bait and Tackle at 16871 Dauphin Island Parkway in Coden or Delta Port Boat Launch at 5080 Green Drive in Coden to drop off their OMS ID cards and confirm which grids are open for harvest prior to the start of their harvesting trip. Cedar Point East grids will open on October 7. Additional grids will be opened to harvest after that date, with information posted at OMS locations and on MRD social media sites. Only harvesting by tong and hand is allowed. All commercial oyster catchers, regardless of age, must have a commercial oyster catcher’s license to participate in the harvest. They may harvest eight sacks per person/vessel per day, regardless of how many licensed harvesters are aboard. Recreational oyster catchers may harvest 100 legal-size oysters per person per day. No license is required, but commercial and recreational oysters may not be transported together on a vessel.