Oyster Season Closes on December 23

Pursuant to Section 9-12-28, Code of Alabama 1975 as stated by Rule 220-3-.02, the Marine Resources Division (MRD) of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) announces that all public water bottoms will close to the harvest of oysters at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, December 23, 2025.

Summary of Alabama's Oyster Harvest

Alabama's public oyster reefs opened for harvest on October 6, 2025, and will close for the season at the end of the harvest day on Tuesday, December 23, 2025. The cooperation between MRD, the Alabama Department of Public Health, commercial oyster catchers, seafood dealers, and other partners continues responsible stewardship of Alabama's oyster resources. At the end of the 2025 season, the public oyster reefs will have been open to harvest for 54 days. During that time, approximately 5,000 sacks of oysters will have been harvested totaling 425,000 pounds with an estimated dockside value of more than $170,000.

"Surveys of oyster reefs conducted prior to the 2025 season opening indicated the abundance of harvestable oysters was much less compared to last year", said Kevin Anson, MRD Director. "The data from these surveys and water quality monitoring stations near the oyster reefs which measure salinity, dissolved oxygen and water temperature suggest Alabama's oyster populations have faced multiple stressors in recent years which have led to a population decline. The stressors include extended periods of low salinity in the spring immediately after oyster larvae have settled to the bottom and occasional periods of higher than normal water temperatures during the summer which contributed to low dissolved oxygen levels. These events negatively affect young oysters more than adult oysters and appear to have significantly reduced survival rates for very young oysters. Since it takes a minimum of 18 months for an oyster to reach harvestable size, we anticipate a lower number of adult oysters on Alabama's reefs in 2026.

MRD staff continues to assess oyster larval settlement patterns and the seasonal dynamics of water quality within Mobile Bay and Mississippi Sound to determine the most optimal areas to restore Alabama's oyster reefs. This work is funded through a $10 million award from the Natural Resources Damage Assessment (NRDA) Trustee Implementation Group with funds allocated from the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Settlement. ADCNR Commissioner Chris Blankenship serves as the lead NRDA trustee for Alabama. The focus of this project is to restore and maintain Alabama's oyster reefs for the benefit of generations to come.

ADCNR promotes wise stewardship, management, and enjoyment of Alabama's natural resources through four divisions: Marine Resources, State Lands, State Parks, and Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries. Learn more at www.outdooralabama.com.

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