August 12, 2013 — The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced Monday that the drought conditions in Apalachicola Bay for the last year have resulted in a fishery disaster for Florida’s oystermen, allowing them to obtain relief funds.
The announcement comes a day before U.S. Sens. Bill Nelson and Marco Rubio are scheduled to attend a Senate Commerce Committee field hearing in Apalachicola on Tuesday to gather testimony on the economic impact of the water conditions on the oyster industry.
“We understand the economic significance this historic oyster fishery has for fishermen and related businesses in the panhandle of Florida,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker in a statement. “Because the drought caused such a decline in oyster landings and a rather significant drop in revenue, the fishery qualified as a resource disaster under the nation’s fishing law.”