The NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife will open the oyster beds known as Fitney Bit and Oysterbed Point, located at the mouth of the Mullica River, to a limited one-week oyster harvest season. The season will commence on Monday, April 11, 2011 and end on Saturday, April 16, 2011 (daily harvest times are sunrise to sunset). The harvest is open to all commercial and recreational shellfish license holders.
Recreational shellfish license holders will be limited to 150 oysters or clams in aggregate per day, and the harvest will be limited to hand tongs only. Please note that the oyster bed known as the Reef Bed will remain closed to harvest.
The Mullica River oyster restoration project was initiated in 2001. These efforts were to restore extant historic oyster beds in the Mullica River and to provide the public with an opportunity to harvest oysters. The success of the effort allows for the limited season.
For more information on the harvest season, the history of the restoration project, and charts of the harvest area, visit
http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/news/2011/oysterharvest_spring11.htm on the division's website.
