The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has issued an executive order to provide additional oyster harvest days in the Pensacola Bay system. The FWC is taking this action at the request of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to help relieve possible economic hardships on the commercial oyster industry that may occur because of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

The order states that oysters may be harvested in conditionally approved oyster harvesting areas of Escambia and East Bay Shellfish Harvesting Areas in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties from July 3 through Sept. 30, as long as these areas are not closed for public health reasons.  The order also states that all other provisions governing the harvest of oysters in these areas remain in effect for the duration of the order.

The FWC order, which can be viewed online at MyFWC.com/OilSpill, takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on July 3 and will expire at 12:01 a.m. on Oct. 1.

Florida's oyster harvesting rules and other saltwater fishing regulations are available online at MyFWC.com/Fishing.