Apalachicola Bay Oyster Situation Report

This report summarizes efforts conducted through the University of Florida Oyster Recovery Team, in collaboration with various stakeholders, to describe conditions in Apalachicola Bay prior to and after a historic collapse of the oyster fishery. The report characterizes conditions in the bay, reviews possible causes for the fishery collapse, and outlines a plan for future monitoring, research and fishery management. Conclusions in this report are based on analyses of data collected in historical monitoring programs conducted by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve (Florida DEP) and Northwest Florida Water Management District, as well as field, experimental, and community data collected by the authors, who are reporting in their capacity as members of the UF Oyster Recovery Team. Grant no. NA10-OAR4170079