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Home > Current News > 2008

News: 2008

Emergency Closure of 2008/09 Oyster Season in the Primary Public Oyster Seed Grounds East of the Mississippi River Announced
Posted: 10/6/08

An emergency closure of the 2008/09 oyster season in the Primary Public Oyster Seed Grounds east of the Mississippi River will take effect at one-half hour after sunset on Monday, Oct. 6, 2008 until one-half hour before sunrise on Monday, Oct. 13, 2008.

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Secretary Robert Barham issued this closure under the authority granted by emergency provisions by the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission at its Aug. 7, 2008 meeting.

These public oyster areas sustained impacts from Hurricanes Gustav and Ike and have been actively harvested for seed oysters over the past nine days. These public areas will be closed to protect the remaining oyster resources located there.

Biological sampling has documented oyster mortalities within these areas following the hurricanes, as well as an excessive removal of non-living reef material by vessels harvesting seed oysters. Allowing continued commercial harvest at this time may threaten the long-term sustainability of the remaining oyster resources.

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