Tong & Hand Only oyster harvest opens Oct. 2

Tong & Hand Only oyster harvest opens Oct. 2

Alabama will open limited areas of public oyster bottoms for Tong and Hand Only oyster harvesting Monday thru Friday beginning Oct. 2 from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Harvesters can view open harvest areas with Alabama’s Oyster Management Station (OMS) Oyster Grid Map available at outdooralabama.com/oysterharvest.
Recreational oyster catchers must report their catch and purchase a recreational harvest tag at the OMS station. Recreational harvesters may take up to 100 legal-size (minimum 3 inches) oysters in the same areas and during the same times as commercial harvest. No license is required but commercial and recreational oysters may not be transported together on a vessel.
All commercial oyster catchers, regardless of age, must have a commercial oyster catcher’s license in order to participate in the harvest. For information about licensing and regulations, please contact MRD at (251) 861-2882 or visit the MRD office located at 2 North Iberville Drive, on Dauphin Island.
Commercial oyster catchers may harvest six (6) sacks per person/vessel, per day regardless of how many licensed harvesters are aboard. Recreational oyster catchers may harvest 100 legal-size oysters per person, per day. Recreational harvest may only occur in areas and at times that are open for commercial harvest.
More info, (251) 257-9966 or outdooralabama.com.