DMR holds 20% of state reefs as oyster season opens amid lease debate

Director Joe Spraggins, Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, updated the Mississippi Advisory Commission on Marine Resources on oyster-season openings, lease processing and public concerns, saying staff opened only Telegraph Reef in mid‑January because of river stage and water‑quality conditions and that further openings depend on pending sampling results.

The announcement matters to many commercial harvesters because the agency reported harvests of just over 4,000 sacks during the November–December season and is working toward a planning target the director described as roughly 18,000 sacks available statewide. Spraggins said the agency will withhold about 20% of state reef acreage ‘‘to keep a resource’’ should leasing proceed and to allow a reserve for late‑winter access if conditions and lease outcomes permit.

The DMR closed several areas in late December and set an administrative deadline for lease applications that closed Jan. 15; staff reported they transferred accounting information to an independent firm and will have grading of lease applications handled externally to avoid agency conflicts. Jason Rider, Marine Fisheries staff, said DMR took samples after recent cold weather and snow and is awaiting lab results; he said Telegraph was the only area meeting water‑quality standards for opening when sampling occurred.

During public comment, multiple commercial harvesters urged longer openings and more predictability. John Livings of Pass Christian asked for 10‑day windows that could be extended if catch rates allowed. Brad Stapleton, a commercial fisherman, said in some areas oysters ‘‘are thicker this year than I’ve seen’’ and asked the agency to reassess some ground. George Storrs and other commenters urged that state‑owned reef material and restoration funds stay available to local fishermen and requested more enforcement of reef protections.

Spraggins said DMR will continue to monitor effort and catch and can extend openings if sampling and effort metrics show it is safe to do so. He also reiterated that the agency must follow statute and administrative rules governing lease processing and that state law constrains what he can do about reserving or opening specific parcels once leases proceed.

Staff and commissioners said they will publish sampling results and effort data and coordinate with enforcement to protect state‑kept reefs. No formal commission action on lease policy or harvest limits was taken at the meeting; commissioners asked staff for additional assessments and for clearer public data on water‑quality thresholds and the agency’s acreage holdback.