Oyster on-bottom lease program paused after court injunction, DMR says

During the agency update on Sept. 16, Director (staff) told the commission that a judge issued a temporary injunction preventing the department from issuing new on-bottom oyster leases. "On bottom, oyster lease program, it's obviously has been put on hold, with the, judge's ruling where he gave us a temper as a temporary injunction, against, being able to do anything," the director said, describing the current status. The director said department attorneys had prepared or were preparing a motion to reconsider and that the attorney general’s office is involved; staff does not plan to accept new on-bottom lease applications while the injunction remains in effect. The director explained that existing leases granted prior to the recent bill remain in force but that areas subsumed under the new rules and bill cannot be leased under the preexisting framework until legal issues are resolved. The department did not cite a specific court case number or statute at the meeting; staff described the action as a court-issued temporary injunction and said they will update stakeholders when there is further action from the courts or the attorney general’s office.