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PORT REPUBLIC - The state Division of Fish and Wildlife will open two oyster beds at the mouth of the Mullica River on Monday for a limited one-week oyster harvest.

The harvest will take place through Saturday in oyster beds in the waters between Oyster Point and Little Egg Harbor Township known as Fitney Bit and Oysterbed Point.

According to Jeff Normant, a fisheries biologist with the Division of Fish and Wildlife's Bureau of Shellfisheries, the harvest is possible due to the positive growth of the seed oysters that have been transplanted in the historic oyster beds.

"Back in 2001, we transplanted oysters in Fitney Bit hoping the oysters would grow and re-establish themselves. They did, and in 2003 and 2004 we opened those beds for harvest," said Normant, adding that another transplant took place in 2006 and that additional oysters have spawned from those transplanted. "We've been sampling those beds, and the bed conditions were good enough that there was no real reason not to allow another harvest. The oysters look nice, they have good meat quality and a decent mortality."

The harvest is open to all commercial and recreational shellfish license holders.

Recreational shellfish license holders will be allowed to collect a total of 150 oysters and clams per day and will be restricted to using hand tongs only. The harvest will be limited to the hours between sunrise and sunset each day.

For more information on the oyster harvest season, call the Bureau of Shellfisheries' Nacote Creek Shellfish Office at 609-748-2040.

Contact Robert Spahr:

609-272-7283

RSpahr@pressofac.com

1 comment:

• BayRat64 (56) posts 2:34 pm

  Ready to go tonging!

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