Mississippi public oyster season opens Oct. 1 in four approved areas

Mississippi’s 2026–2027 public oyster season is set to open at legal sunrise on Oct. 1, 2026, if the listed areas meet opening criteria. A director’s order, posted as a public notice on Sept. 25, opens harvest in Area I “B,” Area II “B,” Area II “E,” and Area V “A” Conditionally Approved Waters.

The season stays closed on Sundays. Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 26, is closed. On Christmas Eve, Thursday, Dec. 24, harvest stops and vessels check out by noon; waters stay closed through Sunday, Dec. 27, and reopen at legal sunrise Monday, Dec. 28. New Year’s Eve, Thursday, Dec. 31, uses the same noon checkout, with waters closed through Sunday, Jan. 3, and a reopen at legal sunrise Monday, Jan. 4.

Harvesters must check in and check out at the same designated station. Named stations include the MDMR station at Bayou Caddy, Pass Christian Harbor, and the R/V Conservationist in Ocean Springs. In October, harvest starts at legal sunrise and checkout is no later than noon. Oysters must go under mechanical refrigeration within two hours of checkout and be cooled to 55°F within two more hours.

The resident recreational limit is 3 sacks per licensed individual per 7-day period. The resident commercial tonging limit is 15 sacks a day; dredging is 20 sacks a day. Minimum size is 3 inches from hinge to bill. Tonging-only water includes the Pass Christian Tonging area, plus Area II “B” (St. Stanislaus and Waveland reefs) and Area V “A” (Biloxi Bay Reef). Area status is on the hotline at 228-374-5167 or 800-385-5902.

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

Source: Mississippi Department of Marine Resources — Order Opening the 2026-2027 Oyster Season (public notice, Sept. 25, 2026).