The Department of Health has REOPENED some of the oyster harvest areas that were closed last Sunday, Oct. 10. Oyster harvesting can resume in the areas outlined below beginning at official sunrise, Friday, Oct. 15, 2004. The beds were closed as a precautionary measure after the heavy rainfall produced by Tropical Storm Matthew.
Today’s action rescinds the closure order, allowing oystermen to resume operations in the Gulf harvest areas that were earlier closed from the Mississippi State Line to the Atchafalaya River. Oyster fisherman will be allowed to harvest oysters from Areas 3, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 19.
All other areas that were closed on October 10, 2004 shall remain closed until further notice. These are areas: 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, and 24.
Dr. Jimmy Guidry, state health officer said, “We will continue to monitor conditions in the shellfish growing areas to ensure that we protect our public’s health.”
The Louisiana Oyster Task Force also was in support of this reopening.
Water standards for oyster harvesting areas are set by the Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Conference and can be found at www.issc.org. LDH has the authority to open and close these waters under LSA-R.S. 40:5,3.