BILOXI, Miss. – The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources (MDMR) has announced all areas and reefs of the State of Mississippi that are currently opened to oyster harvest will close to at 3 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 29, 2011, and will remain closed until further notice in order to conserve the resource.
· Area II “A” Conditionally Approved Waters, which includes northern portions of the Pass Christian and Henderson Point reefs and Hornet’s Reef.
· Area II “B” Conditionally Approved Waters, which includes St. Stanislaus and Waveland reefs.
· Area II “C” Conditionally Approved Waters, and its subdivisions of II “E” (including Square Handkerchief Reef and southern portions of Henderson Point Reef), II “F” (including southern portions of the Pass Christian Reef) and II “G” (including northern portions of the Pass Marianne and Telegraph reefs).
“This action is being taken in order to better conserve the oyster resource. The unusually low harvest levels we have seen in these areas was anticipated after experiencing the high losses to the oyster reefs this summer,” said Scott Gordon, MDMR’s shellfish bureau director.
For more information on the open and closed areas, call the DMR’s 24-hour Oyster Information Hot Line at (228) 374-5167 or (800) 385-5902.
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 MDMR online at www.dmr.ms.gov.
Source: The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources
