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The Georgia Board of Natural Resources on April 22 approved a new rule that enhances the safety and sustainability of the state’s growing oyster mariculture industry, while allowing certified shellfish Master Harvesters to operate during the traditionally closed summer season.
Approved during the Board’s April 22 meeting at the Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center, the new regulation—Rule 391-2-4-.19—establishes strict time and temperature controls for harvesting oysters during the warmer months when naturally occurring, potentially harmful bacteria such as Vibrio vulnificus and Vibrio parahaemolyticus are most active.
“This rule is a major step forward for Georgia’s shellfish industry,” said Doug Haymans, director of the Coastal Resources Division (CRD) of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, which regulates the state's shellfish industry. “It balances economic opportunity with rigorous public health protections and helps lay the groundwork for year-round oyster farming in Georgia.”
To be eligible for closed-season harvesting, shellfish harvesters must meet several conditions. These include submitting a CRD-approved Shellfish Operations Plan detailing harvest methods, cold-chain management procedures, trained personnel, and recordkeeping protocols. Only oysters that have remained submerged for at least 14 consecutive days prior to harvest may be collected, and all harvesters must use approved icing or mechanical refrigeration methods to ensure oysters are quickly cooled to safe temperatures.
Harvesters must also complete detailed logs documenting the time of harvest, icing, and delivery, and ensure all product is shaded during transport. The regulation limits the harvest-to-refrigeration window to as little as two hours in certain cases, depending on whether ice or refrigeration is used.
The rule also gives CRD authority to immediately suspend harvest in the event of a confirmed outbreak of shellfish-related illnesses, ensuring swift action to protect public health.
The regulation is aligned with the National Shellfish Sanitation Program’s Model Ordinance and supports safe shellfish consumption while promoting industry growth. Georgia currently supports 21 permitted shellfish harvest areas, including nine subtidal zones dedicated to floating oyster farms, a method increasingly used in the state’s mariculture operations.
“This regulation reflects our ongoing commitment to protecting public health and strengthening coastal economies,” Haymans added. “It’s the result of collaboration between scientists, growers, public health experts, and regulators.”
The rule will be effective this summer. For more information about Georgia’s shellfish regulations and mariculture industry, visit CoastalGaDNR.org/CommercialShellfishHarvest.
About the Coastal Resources Division
The mission of the Coastal Resources Division is to balance coastal development and protection of the coast's natural assets, socio-cultural heritage and recreational resources for the benefit of present and future generations.
Media Contact
Tyler Jones
Public Information Officer
Coastal Resources Division
Georgia Department of Natural Resources
tyler.jones@dnr.ga.gov
912-275-5118