NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Members of Louisiana's Oyster Task Force still aren't ready to open more public oyster grounds to harvest, despite depleted supplies that followed the BP PLC oil spill.
The Task Force on Tuesday voted overwhelmingly against a motion by oyster dealer Al Sunseri to recommend that the state open more public grounds east of the Mississippi River. The motion followed a state Wildlife and Fisheries report that recent surveys found few young "spat" oysters in the area in question.
Fear of damaging spat was a main reason why the task force supported the state's decision late last year to keep the public grounds east of the Mississippi closed indefinitely.
The lack of spat in the area in question took away one argument for keeping the area closed. Still, opposition on the task force, which includes harvesters and others involved in the state oyster industry, was strong.
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