Expand / Collapse search
☰

Florida’s oyster industry plans comeback after years of decline

By
Published  December 28, 2025 12:12pm EST
Florida
FOX 13 News
Can Florida's oyster industry make a comeback?

Can Florida's oyster industry make a comeback?

In January 2026, the State of Florida plans to reopen around 500 acres of oyster habitat for limited harvesting. FOX 13's Craig Patrick reports.

The Brief

    • Florida’s Apalachicola Bay, once producing 90% of the state’s oysters, has been closed since 2020 due to environmental collapse.
    • Reduced river flows from Georgia allowed saltwater to invade, devastating oyster beds and forcing costly legal battles.
    • The state plans a limited reopening in 2026, but full recovery will require significant investment and ongoing monitoring.

FRANKLIN COUNTY, Fla. - The Apalachicola Bay was historically Florida’s primary source of oysters. In 2020, oyster harvesting was banned after years of decline caused by environmental factors rather than overfishing. Freshwater flow from rivers feeding the bay was reduced by upstream water usage in Georgia and South Georgia agriculture, allowing Gulf saltwater to flood the bay and disrupt the food web, killing much of the oyster population.

The backstory:

For decades, oyster harvesting was a cornerstone of local livelihoods. Fishermen attempted to rebuild oyster beds by dumping rocks, but by 2020, most of the oyster habitat had been destroyed. Florida sued Georgia over water usage affecting the bay but lost, spending millions in legal fees.

What they're saying:

Shannon Hartsfield of Franklin County seafood workers highlighted the generational importance of the industry.

MORE NEWS: Reviving history: Nonprofit works to restore oysters in Manatee River

"These boys, their dads and their granddads and their great-granddads, they made their living in this bay," Hartsfield said.

TJ Saunders, captain with the Florida Guides Association, cautioned: "Our bay has been through such a decline that I don’t want to see commercial harvesting affect the restoration and recovery of the bay."

Why you should care:

The oyster industry supports local economies, seafood supply and ecological health. A sustainable recovery could revive livelihoods, preserve Florida’s culinary heritage and restore a critical estuarine ecosystem.

What's next:

In January 2026, the state plans to reopen around 500 acres of oyster habitat for limited harvesting. Full recovery is projected to require more than $50 million in restoration funding, careful monitoring of oyster beds, and coordination with upstream water users to maintain healthy freshwater flows.

The Source: This report is based on interviews conducted by FOX 13 Political Editor Craig Patrick, statements from local seafood workers and industry leaders, and official state environmental and legal records regarding Apalachicola Bay and oyster restoration efforts.

FloridaEnvironment