How About some Local Oysters?

A recent article in our Fernandina Beach News Leader touched on a subject that I'm often asked about when guests are on my boat: Can you harvest the oysters for consumption? I've heard about the studies that have been done that point to "contamination" as the reason why we can't harvest our local oysters, but I've also talked to some folks in the commercial fishing industry and they've pointed to "politics" as the reason why our beds are closed. I bought oysters this year, ranging between $32 and $35 a bushell, well up from the $22/bushell a few years ago. My vote is to open up the oyster beds around Amelia Island to recreational oyster pickers! Read the News Leader article by Angela Daughtry HERE