NE W S R ELEA SE

MS Dept. of Marine Resources 1141 Bayview Ave., Biloxi 39530 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

17-55-MMS Contact: Melissa Scallan Sept. 28, 2017 Phone: 228-523-4124

Oyster season opens Oct. 2 in Biloxi Bay

BILOXI, Miss. – The state’s oyster season opens Monday, Oct. 2, in Area V “A,” which

includes Biloxi Bay Reef, officials with the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources

announced Thursday.

The Biloxi Bay Reef will open at legal sunrise to tonging only. When the oyster harvest

reaches 30 percent, the reef will be closed. No other reefs in Biloxi Bay will be open.

The oyster check station will be located at the Ocean Springs Harbor, 1709 Harbor

Landing Road. The check station will be open until fishermen reach the 30 percent

quota.

Beginning at legal sunrise Monday, Nov. 13, reefs in conditionally approved waters

located in the western Mississippi Sound will open for tonging and dredging. At its

September meeting, the Commission on Marine Resources also approved a 30 percent

quota for these reefs.

The daily sack limit for tonging is 15 sacks, and the limit for dredging is 20 sacks. Public

and private oyster reefs in Mississippi will be closed on Sundays, Thanksgiving,

Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

For more information, call the MDMR Oyster Hotline at 228-374-5167 or 1-800-385-5902.

The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources is dedicated to enhancing, protecting

and conserving marine interests of the state by managing all marine life, public trust

wetlands, adjacent uplands and waterfront areas to provide for the optimal commercial,

recreational, educational and economic uses of these resources consistent with

environmental concerns and social changes. Visit the DMR online at dmr.ms.gov.

END

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!Biloxi East Channel Light 18

Joe Thornton Hull

Deer Island North

Ocean Springs Pier Reef

East Biloxi Channel Reef

Ocean Springs Harbor PierOld Highway 90 Bridge West

Old Highway 90 Bridge East

Ocean Springs Community Pier

Sources: Esri, HERE, DeLorme, USGS, Intermap, increment P Corp., NRCAN, Esri Japan, METI, Esri China (Hong Kong), Esri (Thailand), MapmyIndia, © OpenStreetMap contributors, and the GIS User Community

88°47'W

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88°48'W

88°49'W

88°49'W

88°50'W

88°50'W

88°51'W

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30°24'N 30°24'N

30°23'N 30°23'N

30°22'N 30°22'N[x Artificial Reefs

Tonging Line (1-mile)Public Oyster Reefs

Oyster Harvest ZonesCONDITIONS

ApprovedConditionally ApprovedRestrictedProhibited 0 0.5 10.25

Nautical Miles/--FOR PLANNING PURPOSES ONLY--

NOT FOR NAVIGATION

Shellfish Growing Areas - Biloxi Bay - Area V

88° 5

1.262

1' W

Area V "A"

30° 24.1249' N88° 50.5546' W

30° 23.4499' N88° 51.2474' W

30° 24.3865' N88° 50.2865' W

30° 23.5740' N88° 48.6870' W

ShearwaterReef

Biloxi Bay Reef

30° 22.4749' N88° 47.4993' W

Marsh Point

PointCadet

Biloxi

Ocean Springs

Biloxi Bay

Back Bay of Biloxi

Mississippi Sound

Oyster Hotline - 1-800-385-5902

Area V "B"