Choctawhatchee Bay Shellfish Harvesting Closed Temporarily
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has temporarily closed the eastern portion of Choctawhatchee Bay to the harvesting of oysters, clams, and mussels, affecting waters along Freeport’s shoreline.
The closure, announced June 21, applies to shellfish harvesting area 0632 — designated by the state as “Choctawhatchee Bay Eastern” and classified as Conditionally Approved. Under Florida’s shellfish harvesting program, conditionally approved areas are subject to temporary closures when water quality monitoring indicates conditions may no longer be safe for direct harvest. Closures become effective at sunset, and re-openings take effect at sunrise once testing confirms the water meets state standards.
For Freeport, which sits on the eastern shore of Choctawhatchee Bay, the closure is a direct hit to local harvesters and seafood businesses that depend on ready access to the bay’s oyster beds and clam grounds. The eastern harvest area encompasses the waters nearest to Freeport’s waterfront and harbor, making it the most accessible stretch of productive shellfish habitat for residents and small-scale commercial operators in the area.
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services manages shellfish harvesting classifications through its Division of Aquaculture, which conducts regular water quality sampling across the state’s approved and conditionally approved areas. Fecal coliform results, rainfall events, and other environmental factors can trigger temporary closures to protect public health. The state’s online shellfish status table, updated regularly, is the authoritative source for current open and closed designations.
Just weeks before this closure, the Choctawhatchee Bay Central Shellfish Harvest Area was reopened at sunrise on June 3 after water quality testing confirmed it met state standards. That reopening followed a prior closure cycle, illustrating the routine ebb and flow of conditionally approved area status along the bay. The eastern area’s current closure follows a similar pattern — temporary by design, with reopening contingent on sampling results.
State officials say the public will be notified when the eastern harvest area reopens. Harvesters and residents can monitor the status of all Florida shellfish harvesting areas through the FDACS Shellfish Harvesting Area Information portal at fdacs.gov or by checking the daily status table at shellfish.fdacs.gov.
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