Letter To Editor - RE : Oyster Prices

I know there have been some recent changes to the oyster regulations related to how the oystermen are required to tag and declare their oysters for sale as different product, whether they are to be sold as shucked or half-shell product. Although there have been proposals in the last year or two to flash freeze oysters before they are sold, nothing has been adopted as far as I know. I`ve heard the prices are higher this year because of reduced oyster supply in the Gulf of Mexico region because of reductions in the number of oysters harvested in Louisiana. During the oil spill a decision was made to divert a lot of freshwater from the Mississippi River into one of the main oyster production areas to try and keep oil from entering that region. Oil never reached that area, but unfortunately a lot of oyster beds were killed by the sudden inundation of freshwater.

As far as the quality of oysters around Cedar Key, I`ve thought the ones I`ve had this year have been really good. I know from some of our work in the area and from talking with ---- Leslie Sturmer and Laura Adams ---that this was a really good year for oyster survival through the summer and oyster growth rates have been very fast and survival high. We will be giving a talk on some of our oyster related research in a few weeks on February 18 at the library.