Oysters moved in effort to boost population

PASCAGOULA, Miss. (AP) - Oyster fishermen in Mississippi are trying to increase the oyster population by moving the mollusks to cleaner waters.

WLOX-TV reports that fishermen teamed up with the Department of Marine Resources Monday to move tens of thousands of oysters. The television station says the move began at dawn at the Pascagoula Causeway Reef in Jackson County.

For the first three days of the effort, fishermen can only use tongs to harvest oysters. After that, tongs and dredges retrieved by hand will be allowed until this year’s quota of 18,864 sacks is reached.

Dredges must meet Department of Marine Resources specifications and must be retrieved by hand.

There’s no daily limit, but the single trip limit is 20 sacks, whether the harvester is using tongs or a dredge.

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Information from: WLOX-TV, http://www.wlox.com