Georgia reopens oyster harvest at 6 a.m. Oct. 8 after a warm September

Georgia Commissioner of Natural Resources Walter Rabon reopened the state’s territorial waters to commercial and recreational oyster harvest at 6 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026. Since 2008, the commissioner has closed salt waters to oyster harvest for human consumption from June through September. This year the closure ran longer because above-average September water temperatures stayed above 81°F, the threshold in the state’s Vibrio parahaemolyticus control plan. Temperatures were forecast to keep falling below that mark.

Shellfish fishery manager Dominic Guadagnoli said the extension kept Georgia in line with the National Shellfish Sanitation Program. Buyers should take only tagged shellfish from licensed dealers and keep it refrigerated or on ice at 45°F or colder. People with compromised immune systems, including diabetes, liver disease, and cancer, should not eat raw oysters. Thorough cooking lowers the risk. The Georgia Department of Agriculture can be reached at 404-656-3627, and the Coastal Resources Division at 912-264-7218.

This is a The Gillnet news desk summary, not a reprint.

Source: Georgia DNR via The Outdoor Wire — oyster harvest reopens in state waters (Oct. 8, 2026). Also: The Islander.