The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) voted unanimously on Wednesday to reopen Apalachicola Bay to oyster harvesting beginning January 1, 2026, marking the end of a five-year closure implemented to restore the bay’s oyster population.
The decision follows the Commission’s adoption of a revised oyster management plan designed to regulate future harvesting based on oyster abundance and reef health. The 2020 closure, which took effect after the collapse of the bay’s oyster fishery in 2013, was set to expire at the end of this year.
Under the new framework, harvesting will be permitted only on reefs that meet a minimum threshold of 400 bags of legal-sized oysters. Annual harvest levels will be limited to 10 percent of available oysters, divided among authorized participants. The initial open season will run from January 1 through February 28, 2026, with subsequent seasons scheduled from October through February.
Commercial harvesters will be required to obtain a new Apalachicola Bay Endorsement, while recreational harvesters can apply for an Apalachicola Bay Recreational Opportunity Permit through a lottery system. Both groups will have to submit harvest reports to the FWC.
Gov. Ron DeSantis praised the decision, referring to Apalachicola’s oyster industry as “the cornerstone of Florida’s seafood economy for generations.”
The governor added, “No place knows oysters better than Apalachicola, which has historically produced more than 90% of Florida’s oysters. I look forward to continuing to invest in restoration activities that support the long-term restoration of Apalachicola Bay and the communities that rely on it.”
The governor’s office noted that, at peak capacity, approximately 90% of Florida’s commercial landings and 10% of commercially harvested wild oysters sold in the U.S. came from Apalachicola Bay.