Mississippi Oyster Reef Areas Closed

BILOXI, Miss. The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources has announced the closing of Area I B and Area II C Conditionally Approved Waters to the harvest of oysters, effective 4 p.m. Tuesday, Mar. 2, 2010, due to rainfall amounts exceeding the management plan criteria.

Area I B Conditionally Approved Waters including St. Josephs (St. Joes) Reef.

Area II C Conditionally Approved Waters and its subdivisions of II E (including Square Handkerchief reef and southern portions of Henderson Point reef), II F (including southern portions of the Pass Christian reef) and II G (including northern portions of the Pass Marianne and Telegraph reefs).

This area may reopen for harvest when water sample results meet the management plan criteria for the respective area.

For more information on the open and closed areas, call the DMRs 24-hour Oyster Information Hot Line at 228-374-5167 or 1-800-385-5902.

Source: Mississippi Department of Marine Resources