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Harvesting oysters in gulf of mexico

Posted on 2/14/23 at 7:38 am
Posted by Yeahbuddy35
Swagtown USA
Member since Nov 2021
175 posts
Posted on 2/14/23 at 7:38 am
I enjoy harvesting oysters from reefs near my place in the winter. How far into spring should I be able to go before its unsafe to eat oysters? I assume it has to do with water temps, right now probably somewhere around 60.

I usually eat them raw but if I chargrill them can I eat them even into summer? I'm sure some of you louisiana baws have better info than the google searches I'm doing.
Posted by ecb
Member since Jul 2010
10096 posts
Posted on 2/14/23 at 7:44 am to
First thing to do is make sure these oysters are not in as closed zone, they close areas because of pollution. I was always told to not eat oysters outside of the R months, so April..don't know if there is any science to that though.
Posted by bayoudude
Member since Dec 2007
25840 posts
Posted on 2/14/23 at 7:52 am to
Surprised you found a patch of bottom that isn’t leased. The old saying has more to do with the old days before refrigeration. They are pretty much safe year round if kept cold but vibrio bacteria spikes in the heat of the summer so I probably wouldn’t eat em raw at that time.
Posted by mylsuhat
Mandeville, LA
Member since Mar 2008
49840 posts
Posted on 2/14/23 at 8:19 am to
You just need to make sure you are not stealing oysters from a leased area...
Posted by 257WBY
Member since Feb 2014
7221 posts
Posted on 2/14/23 at 8:58 am to
Month with an R in it.

I used to pick ‘em up like that as a kid, but the world has changed since then.
Posted by Tiger Prawn
Member since Dec 2016
25159 posts
Posted on 2/14/23 at 9:04 am to
Chargrilling kills the vibrio bacteria, so you’re good year round to eat cooked oysters.

If you’re worried about getting sick, i’d probably stop eating raw around mid-April until November when the water temps drop. But I’ve eaten raw from restaurants even in the summer and never gotten sick. Risk is fairly low unless you’re old or have some immune deficiency from my understanding
Posted by Yeahbuddy35
Swagtown USA
Member since Nov 2021
175 posts
Posted on 2/14/23 at 9:11 am to
Where I'm harvesting from is completely legal.
Posted by Wolfmanjack
Member since Jun 2017
1205 posts
Posted on 2/14/23 at 9:37 am to
DHH monitors and sets the “pollution line”, at least in Louisiana. I’m not sure about other states. You should be able to find it on the web. They monitor fecal coliform levels , poo bacteria for the laymen. Anything south of the pollution line can be harvested. If you are cooking all the way then eat up.
Posted by GeeMan
Member since Nov 2020
61 posts
Posted on 2/14/23 at 3:52 pm to
DHH has a hotline you should call to see if season is open. When the water gets fresh they close the season to prevent any one from eating bad bacteria found in the oysters.
Posted by Ol boy
Member since Oct 2018
3982 posts
Posted on 2/14/23 at 4:09 pm to
Months with an R is the typical answer because it’s winter months. Not sure what the temp is for the bacteria but as a rule of thumb it should be cold enough to need a jacket or sweatshirt on your boat ride out.
If you cook them then there is no need to worry. I don’t eat them when they are milky either.
Pawpaw said that was oyster Jiz when they spatting.
Posted by WildTchoupitoulas
Member since Jan 2010
44071 posts
Posted on 2/14/23 at 10:52 pm to
quote:

How far into spring should I be able to go before its unsafe to eat oysters?

Until the crawfish are coming out. Once they harden up, brown shrimp should be in season. After that, crabs will be running. Late in crab season you may get white shrimp. After Summer, the shrimp are gone, the crabs are in berry, and it's back to oysters.
Posted by TigerB8
End Communism
Member since Oct 2003
10851 posts
Posted on 2/15/23 at 8:37 am to
I'm curious as to how this Ohio train derailment will affect oysters. That poly vinyl chemical will end up in Ohio river, that flows to the Mississippi, which dumps into the gulf.
Posted by tigerinthebueche
Member since Oct 2010
37736 posts
Posted on 2/15/23 at 3:52 pm to
That poly vinyl chemical will be rendered harmless by all the fertilizer and Glycosphate in the River. No need to worry.
Posted by deltaland
Member since Mar 2011
100500 posts
Posted on 2/15/23 at 5:54 pm to
quote:

curious as to how this Ohio train derailment will affect oysters.


It won’t. That’s like thinking one drop of water in a 10,000 gallon gas tank would ruin your engine if you use that gas in your car
Posted by choupiquesushi
yaton rouge
Member since Jun 2006
33811 posts
Posted on 2/15/23 at 6:51 pm to
First thing is make sure they are not in a leased area.
Posted by choupiquesushi
yaton rouge
Member since Jun 2006
33811 posts
Posted on 2/15/23 at 6:52 pm to
quote:

Months with an R is the typical answer because it’s winter months.
wives tale from days when oyster boars didn't have refrigeration baw.


also the areas that are legally public oystering ground are about and much as the wma areas that have speck hunting worth a flip.
This post was edited on 2/15/23 at 6:56 pm
Posted by Ol boy
Member since Oct 2018
3982 posts
Posted on 2/15/23 at 8:09 pm to
quote:

wives tale from days when oyster boars didn't have refrigeration baw

Vibrio is not a wives tale. I’m not sure how warm the water is to make it increase the odds but marine bacteria is the real deal.
I got stuck by a mullet one time in October and ended up on some serious antibiotics.
Posted by LSUCouyon
ONTHELAKEATDELHI, La.
Member since Oct 2006
11338 posts
Posted on 2/16/23 at 11:58 am to
Good, we eat em in Jurne, Jurly & Aurgust, too.

That’s old as the hills!!

Forgot Mray!
This post was edited on 2/16/23 at 11:59 am
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