Daily Open/Closed Status of Shellfish Harvest Areas for the Central Gulf:

From St. Joe Bay in Gulf County to Wakulla County

 

This table of open/closed status was published at 1:00 PM EDT September 8th, 2023 and will remain in effect until there is a change in status. Closures become effective at sunset and re-openings become effective at sunrise

 

Commercial shellfish harvesters must abide by all monthly harvest time/temperature regulations pursuant to Rule 5L-1.

 

Daily status is also available from the Central Gulf Coast field office located in Apalachicola by calling 850-653-8317                   

                                

For FWC Commercial Regulations please visit https://myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/commercial/oysters/

For FWC Recreational Regulations please visit https://myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/shellfish/

 

Harvest of any shellfish species is prohibited year-round in waters not meeting approved or conditionally approved classification, including any unclassified waters. For classification maps please visit https://www.fdacs.gov/Agriculture-Industry/Aquaculture/Shellfish-Harvesting-Area-Classification/Shellfish-Harvesting-Area-Information and click on area number of interest.

 

The harvest of wild oysters is prohibited per FWC July 1st through September 30th except in Wakulla, Dixie and Levy counties harvest areas where the harvest of wild oysters is closed June 1st through August 30th. Open/Close status during these months are for aquaculture leases and wild clam harvest only.

 

Bay SHA# 14

 

Status

Date

Reason/Notes

 

1401 St. Joe Bay

Approved

 

OPEN 

 

9/1/2023

 

Conditions not realized

 

Indian Lagoon SHA# 15

Status

Date

Reason/Notes

 

1512 Indian Lagoon

Spring/Fall

(March-June, October)

Conditionally Approved

PUBLIC BARS CLOSED

7/31/20

Through

12/31/23

FWC EO 20-22

 

 

 

 

LEASES OPEN

 

 

9/7/23

 

 

Passing Samples

 

 

1542 Indian Lagoon Zone A

Winter

(November-February)

Conditionally Approved

PUBLIC BARS

CLOSED

7/31/20

Through

12/31/23

FWC EO 20-22

 

LEASES

CLOSED

2/28/23

Seasonal

 

 

1552 Indian Lagoon Zone B

Winter

(November-February)

Conditionally Approved

PUBLIC BARS

CLOSED

7/31/20

Through

12/31/23

FWC EO 20-22

 

 

 

LEASES

CLOSED

2/28/23

Seasonal

 

1506 Indian Lagoon

Conditionally Restricted

CLOSED

Year Round

 

 

Apalachicola Winter (September-May) SHA #16

 

Status

Date

Reason/Notes

 

1601 Apalachicola Bay

Winter

Approved

PUBLIC BARS CLOSED

7/31/20

Through

12/31/23

FWC EO 20-22

 

LEASES CLOSED

 

 

LEASES OPEN

8/28/32

 

 

9/3/2023

Hurricane Idalia

Conditions realized

 

Passing Samples

 

1611 Apalachicola Bay

Winter

Approved

PUBLIC BARS

CLOSED

7/31/20

Through

12/31/23

FWC EO 20-22

 

 

LEASES OPEN

 

9/8/23

 

Passing Samples

 

1612 Apalachicola Bay

Winter

Conditionally Approved

PUBLIC BARS

CLOSED

7/31/20

Through

12/31/23

FWC EO 20-22

 

 

LEASES OPEN

 

9/8/23

 

Passing Samples

 

1622 Apalachicola Bay

Winter

Conditionally Approved

PUBLIC BARS

CLOSED

 

7/31/20

Through

12/31/23

FWC EO 20-22

 

1632 Apalachicola Bay

Winter

Conditionally Approved

PUBLIC BARS CLOSED

7/31/20 Through 12/31/23

FWC EO 20-22

 

 

LEASE OPEN

 

9/8/23

 

Passing Samples

 

 

1642 Apalachicola Bay

Winter

Conditionally Approved

PUBLIC BARS

CLOSED

 

7/31/20

Through

12/31/23

FWC EO 20-22

 

1605 Apalachicola Bay

Restricted

CLOSED

Year Round

 

 

Apalachicola Summer

(June-August) SHA #16

 

Status

Date

Reason/Notes

 

1621 Apalachicola Bay

Summer

Approved

CLOSED

7/31/20

Through

12/31/23

FWC EO 20-22

 

1671 Apalachicola Bay

Summer

Approved

CLOSED

7/31/20

Through

12/31/23

FWC EO 20-22

 

1652 Apalachicola Bay

Summer

Conditionally Approved

CLOSED

7/31/20

Through

12/31/23

FWC EO 20-22

 

1662 Apalachicola Bay

Summer

Conditionally Approved

CLOSED

7/31/20

Through

12/31/23

FWC EO 20-22

 

Alligator Harbor SHA #18

 

Status

Date

Reasons/Notes

 

1801 Alligator Harbor

Approved

OPEN

 9/1/2023

Conditions not realized

 

Ochlocknee Bay SHA #20

 

Status

Date

Reasons/Notes

 

2002 Ochlockonee Bay

(October-June)

Conditionally Approved

CLOSED

 

7/1/23

Seasonal

 

2006 Ochlockonee Bay

Conditionally Restricted

CLOSED

Year Round

 

 

Wakulla County SHA #22

 

Status

Date

Reasons/Notes

 

2212 Wakulla County Zone 1

Fall/Winter/Spring

 (September-May)

Conditionally Approved

 

PUBLIC BARS OPEN

 

 

9/9/23

 

 

Passing Samples

 

 

LEASE OPEN

 

9/9/23

 

 

Passing Samples

 

 2222 Wakulla County Zone 2

Fall/Winter/Spring

 (September-May)

Conditionally Approved

 

PUBLIC BARS OPEN

 

 

 

9/7/23

 

 

Passing Samples

 

 

LEASES OPEN

 

9/7/23

 

Passing Samples

 

2206 Wakulla County

Conditionally Restricted

CLOSED

Year Round

 

 

Industry Notes: Weekly FC test schedule:                                                             

**Weather Permitting**

Red Tide Cell Counts                                                                               

Next red tide water samples tentatively scheduled:                                                 

Red tide meat samples tentatively scheduled: 

 

                                                     

For my information on Red Tide in Florida please visit:

 

http://myfwc.com/research/redtide/statewide/