On April 18, 2016 the Seafood Management Assistance Resource Recovery Team (SMARRT) hosted a public workshop at the Apalachicola Community Center to discuss Apalachicola Bay management strategies. In attendance were resource management agencies including the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, as well as representatives of the University of Florida’s Oyster Recovery Team.

The public was encouraged to ask questions and discussion took place regarding the state of the bay and various management strategies being employed. Updates were provided regarding the ongoing collaborative research project funded through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. This project is being conducted to gain a better understanding of the most efficient use of shelling material for oyster restoration efforts. For more details on the shelling restoration research project go to the Oyster Restoration Research page on this site by clicking HERE.

Discussion also took place regarding various management strategies including enforcement activities, the use of check stations, and a broader involvement of the industry stakeholders. Tentative plans were made for a future meeting to bring all stakeholder groups together to jointly craft the plans for how the bay restoration efforts can move forward with a broad base of support from the public, the industry and the resource management agencies.

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