The ABSI team has developed a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) in collaboration with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). This is a working document, meaning that as more data and information become available, we will update the page accordingly. For questions or comments, please reach out to fsucml-absi@fsu.edu. Thank you!
Here are a few commonly asked questions about the fishery closure (answers provided by FWC):
Q: Is FWC going to extend the Bay closure past 2025?
A: It is premature to make these decisions at this time. Closures, including extending closures, are a last resort for FWC. These decisions need to be data and science driven. So, if the data do not support opening the Bay, either partially or entirely, that information will be provided to the FWC Commissioners.
Q: What management strategies are FWC considering when the Bay reopens?
A: Broadly, an adaptive management strategy will be followed. This plan will allow FWC to manage the fishery in a manner that provides resiliency to changes in environmental conditions and fishery pressure, and provides benefits to both the oyster population and the local fishery. Multiple specific fishery management options are being considered. These discussions will continue while restoration activities are implemented. FWC will use utilize modeling data that aims to predict how the fishery will respond to different management options. FWC will also leverage input from subject matter experts on different management strategies, including local stakeholders. No management strategy will be brought to the FWC Commissioners for vote before extensive public outreach and communication.
Here are a few commonly asked questions about the science in the Bay (answers provided by ABSI):
Q: What is the condition of the oyster beds (disease, shell loss, etc.)?
A: The oyster beds in Apalachicola Bay are severely depleted, and much of the historical oyster reefs are shell hash. There is some disease, and in the saltier areas, oyster predator populations are high, but the biggest problem is lack of good habitat. We really need to restore the reefs then give the oysters time to grow. If not, it will collapse again.
Q: Haven’t we studied the Bay enough?
A: The first comprehensive ecological studies of the Bay date back to the 1970s when the system was in much better condition. Since then, there has been a lot of research, but we don’t understand completely:
- Why the oyster populations collapsed so quickly
- Why they haven’t recovered despite millions of dollars of investment
- Whether their decline is a symptom of a larger problem in the Bay or an isolated problem
- What extent the oyster population collapse is impacting the larger ecosystem
Restoration efforts so far have not resulted in population recovery, and we need to understand why. Were past restoration projects designed to optimize success or would something different work better? Are there so few oysters that there aren’t enough spat in the Bay? We do know a lot, but there are still plenty of unanswered questions. ABSI’s research is a large-scale, multi-disciplinary long-term study that is specifically focused on trying to address these knowledge gaps, with the help of stakeholders that understand the history of the Bay.
