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Disaster Hits Oyster Harvesting, Leaves Apalachicola Families in Dire Straits
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Apalachicola oyster fishermen and the families, at a September meeting to discuss survival strategies.
Families are suffering -- many say "desperately" -- as the state continues to await a response from the Obama administration on whether to declare the region a fishery resources disaster. The bay has been hindered by severe drought, a reduction in fresh water and also self-inflicted wounds from the harvesting of immature oysters in recent, difficult times.
Joan Jefferson, coordinator of Florida Main Street, in Apalachicola recently for a state economic development meeting, witnessed firsthand the community's desperation. "It was the first time I had ever seen children in Florida literally starving -- going to bed hungry. Mothers are giving their kids a glass of water and telling them to go to bed."
Jefferson has helped organized food drives at the State Department in Tallahassee where she works. Word of Apalachicola's need spread to other state departments, where food collections are being organized. Jefferson said she will collect the donations this week and deliver them to the small Panhandle city.
Resources of local faith-based charities are stretched, say community leaders.
Joe Taylor, director of Franklin's Promise Coalition in Apalachicola, said, “I just got off the phone with a lady who works at the RV park where a lot of the oystermen live. Her boss isn’t able to pay her because (the oyster harvesters) are not able to pay their rent. “So we’re beginning to see this trickle on through our local economy.”
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putman placed blame on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for restricting upstream water flow which has reduced the amount of fresh water vital for the growth of oysters in the bay.
“This will be devastating for their economy and a real kick in the teeth to the men and women who depend upon the bay for their livelihood,” Putnam said.
“And it’s unfortunate that all the things we’ve been saying about the Corps lowering the releases is finally coming home to roost.”
Earlier this month, Gov. Rick Scott asked the U.S. Department of Commerce to declare oyster harvesting areas in the Gulf of Mexico around Apalachicola Bay a fishery resource disaster, in part because of years of drought conditions and overharvesting.
The designation may not bring immediate fiscal relief, but would validate the need for support from broader relief agencies that often can move quicker than the federal government.
Oyster harvesting failing economy around Apalachicola Bay.
Scott’s letter requested the designation from Acting Commerce Secretary Rebecca Blank as Franklin County leaders have estimated that 2,500 jobs have been impacted by the decline in harvesting conditions.
“The Florida Panhandle and Apalachicola Bay, as the drainage basin of the Apalachicola, Flint, and Chattahoochee rivers, have experienced drought conditions for several years resulting in reduced freshwater input into Apalachicola Bay,” Scott wrote.
“This absence of fresh water contributes to higher salinity levels adversely affecting oyster populations and contributing to mass natural mortality events and a dramatic increase in oyster predation.”
Scott noted that harvesting practices have been altered and stressed as harvesting areas in neighboring states were closed, which has resulted in overharvesting of illegal and sub-legal oysters.
“Recent oyster resource assessments indicate that the outlook for the 2012/2013 harvesting season is “poor” and unlikely to sustain commercial harvesting levels,” Scott wrote.
As part of the request, Scott has asked for disaster relief money to help further assess the causes of the decline, determine what can be done to reverse the trends and to help the business community impacted by the disaster.
For a community with few jobs beyond fishing, tourism and government, many believe there are few work options immediately available, which is why local faith-based charities have been forced to reach out to their national organizations to pump in short-term relief, Taylor said.
“There is a ripple effect as this also impacts shuckers, shrimp headers, truck drivers, people who work in oyster houses, it gets a little more magnified,” Taylor said.
The state Department of Economic Opportunity and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission are developing action plans to retrain and repair the waterway.
Putnam said such efforts may provide short-term relief but any fix will require “long-term” solutions.
Taylor said shelter and food are the most critical needs right now for about 800 people.
Here are some links:
Food Bank directory, http://www.fafb.org/food-bank-directory/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/BAY-AID-Franklincom/319057535271
http://www.bayaidfranklin.com/
http://news.ufl.edu/2012/09/17/oyster-task-force/
Reach Jim Turner at jturner@sunshinestatenews.com or at (772) 215-9889. Nancy Smith contributed to this story.
Comments (8)
as far as help here,its like we`re forgotton.No one wants to talk about BP being the death of our bay.Why is everyone so scared to talk about that?????Been working on The Apalachicola Bay for over 30yrs,i think i know a little.Let me just say,"The Forgotton Coast Line" will surely be forgotton,our way of life is gone.The BP oil spill seems to be forgotton.How could that be when the DWH oil rigg is still spewing???
So, let me get this right, we can spend upwards of a 100 million dollars in incentives, tax breaks and other means to attract out-of-state businesses to come to the state and not pay taxes, but we can't find the money to help the oystermen and starving children in Franklin County?
Is that the guist of the article, here?
Hmmm . . . . Pathetic.
Those types of salinities both allow the predatory oyster drill to invade mature oyster beds and kill most of the adults; and can sometimes even cause the oysters to keep themselves shut, especially if adequate phytoplankton are not present, and can sometimes go without feeding for some period of time, starving themselves even though they can tolerate near seawater salinities.
Undersized oysters (less than 3 inches) are difficult to find a legal market for, even in Apalachicola. The rules do allow a small portion of legally harvested oysters to be undersized under certain restrictions.
My experience with the oystermen of Apalachicola Bay over more than 40 years has been that the vast majority recognize what harvesting activities harm their industry and avoid doing them. Most of them are strong advocates for the bay's protection, as their livlihood is derived from a healthy bay and a renewable, sustainable oyster harvest.
The tri-state fight (and sometimes 6 state fight) over water here has been going on for a number of years. Unfortunately, Georgia won the most recent court battle, and the river (and oysterman) are now suffering.
This is basic sh**. The guy at the top of the river doesn't get to dam it up and screw everyone downstream. This isnt new law. Teddy Roosevelt figured this out a century ago. Too bad Ted isnt around today or Governor Deal would have an Oyster a big fat shell stuck right up through his sphincter muscle.
Congratulations to the Franklin County fisherman and that community for keeping up the fight.
It would be nice if the blame could be placed solely on the Army Corp of Engineers but in this case the blame goes to population growth. Specifically the growth of Atlanta Ga. who won the right to the water in Lake Lanier that should have gone down the Appalachiacola River in a court of law. As is often the case, when it comes to water for people or "the environment", people win out. No matter that in this case (as is also often the case) the "environment": is a source of economic significance to other people.
Meanwhile, unless we see immediate action, we're going to see the same type of outcome for oyster and clam farmers along the Indian River Lagoon. But, it will be from too much water- too much polluted water, rather than too little. And the cause of that is a combination of population growth and our legislator's placing agricultural interests over all others (which is why the EPA finally stepped in).
So remember that Mr. Putnam and anyone else in the Florida legislature, along with Governor Scott. When the Indian River Lagoon and the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee Rivers are dead zones because of the polluted water and you're pointing your finger at the Army Corp of Engineers. there will be thousands of fingers pointing at you because there are plenty of us who know who ultimately is to blame.
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