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Feb. 8, 2001 For further information, contact Charles Lesser, Fisheries, 302-739-3441; or Melinda Carl, Information and Education, 302-739-4506 Division of Fish and Wildlife to Hold Public Workshop on Direct Harvesting of Oysters Feb. 13The Division of Fish and Wildlife, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, will hold a public workshop Tuesday, Feb. 13 to discuss redrafting Delaware law to allow a direct harvest of oysters. The workshop will be held in the DNREC auditorium, Richardson and Robbins Building, 89 Kings Highway, Dover, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Public workshops held in 1999 and a subsequent meeting of the Advisory Council on Shellfisheries strongly supported the direct harvest of oysters from the state's natural oyster grounds. Direct harvest of oysters from natural beds has been prohibited since the 1950s. All oysters harvested from natural oyster beds historically have first been transferred and deposited on leased shellfish grounds before being harvested for marketing. According to Charles Lesser, Fisheries Section manager, oyster diseases and parasites favor higher salinities where leased shellfish grounds are located. For this reason, direct harvest is now preferred. The Division of Fish and Wildlife considers a limited direct harvest from natural oyster beds the best option if oyster harvesting is to resume in Delaware Bay, and that opening a fall harvest with limited entry and strict harvest rules may be feasible since the current oyster stocks can support a limited harvest. -30- Document no. 40-01/01/02/06 |
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