BILOXI, Miss. – The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources (MDMR) recently updated its on-bottom shellfish regulations following the passage of Senate Bill 2648 during the Mississippi Legislature 2024 Regular Session. These revised regulations now enable private individuals or businesses to lease water bottoms, fostering a sustainable and supportive framework for shellfish production in Mississippi while ensuring environmental and conservation compliance.
Following the guidance of the Mississippi Advisory Commission of Marine Resources, the MDMR will begin the application process where interested parties may apply for On-Bottom Molluscan Shellfish Leases.
The application period will open on Tuesday, October 1, 2024, at 8 a.m., and close on Monday, December 2, 2024, at 4 p.m. Once the application period closes, the MDMR will thoroughly review all submissions to verify eligibility and ensure compliance with state regulations. While we are committed to processing applications as efficiently as possible, please understand that this process will require adequate time for proper review and evaluation.
To gain a comprehensive understanding of the updated regulations, interested parties are encouraged to review the detailed summary available on the official MDMR website at https://dmr.ms.gov/on-bottom-molluscan-shellfish-leases/. The summary provides information on application requirements, lease conditions, cultivation guidelines and the review process.
For additional inquiries or further information, please contact MDMR Shellfish Bureau Director Jason Rider at 228-523-4037 or email oyster@dmr.ms.gov.
The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources is dedicated to enhancing, protecting and conserving marine interests of the state by managing all marine life, public trust wetlands, adjacent uplands and waterfront areas to provide for the optimal commercial, recreational, educational and economic uses of these resources consistent with environmental concerns and social changes. Visit the DMR online at dmr.ms.gov.
