Page 6, March 18, 2019, The Islander
Oyster farming
Continued from Page 1
Jones where his angst lay.
Jones answered quickly. “The leg
islation does not allow for a 12 month
industry which producers need for
oyster mariculture to be profitable.”
Committee chair Tyler Harper (R-
7) interrupted saying the bill did al
low for a 12 month harvest period.
Jones countered, “It’s suggests the
possibility of a 12 month season.”
The Chair and Rep. Petrea both
talked over Jones saying the bill al
lows for a 12 month season.
“The leases are to be awarded by a
lottery instead of a bidding process,”
Jones said. “We don’t award our high
way contracts by lottery. Why should
be award the oyster leases by lottery?”
“The bill does not allow for proper
importation of (oyster) seed,” Jones
said.
“Floating cages and mechanical
harvesting are not specifically al
lowed,” he said.
“There must be an active oyster
mariculture advisory committee made
up of people who have the opportunity
to make their suggestions for growing
this industry known to this commit
tee as well as the house Natural Re
sources committee.”
“There is language in the HB501
that suggests that these things might
be done,” Jones said. “But we are talk
ing about a significant investment and
the language is loose and non specific
which makes it not worthwhile for
producers to participate in.”
The entire time Rep. Jones was
talking, Rep. Petrea squirmed in his
chair, made faces, and moved his head
in a negative back and forth motion.
Committee member Matt Brass (R-
28) asked why the two coastal repre
sentatives weren’t both in favor of the
bill. Petrea is from Savannah.
Petrea said, “We have to be careful
in terms of safety. The bill (HB 501)
absolutely allows for a 12 month sea
son. What Rep. Jones doesn’t like is
that it gives the Department (Dept, of
Natural Resources - DNR) discretion.”
Petrea pointed out that Alabama
just closed their oyster season because
of heavy rain and that oysters can be
dangerous and carry vibrio bacteria.
Petrea discussed the lottery. “The
Representative (Jones) wants people
to choose where they want to do the
farming. The waters belong to the
public,” Petrea said. “The leased areas
need to be determined by the Depart
ment (DNR).”
“The Department is anticipating,
no matter how many times the Rep
resentative (Jones) repeats a he, that
the cages will absolutely be floated off
the bottom in the sub-tidal regions of
these creeks and estuaries.”
“The DNR will determine where
they are (the cages) and the season,”
he said again.
He continued, “We want to make
sure that Georgians who have har
vested wild oysters for genera
tions have access to farm oysters in
Georgia.”
“The lottery individuals will be
thoroughly vetted,” he said. “We want
to make sure that everyone has access
to do this farming on a state-owned
resource if they want to do so.”
Petrea also said the DNR had to
certify the seed hatchery first accord
ing to HB501 to make sure the seed
was safe.
“The Representative (Jones) says
this bill will not allow the industry
to grow. Well, let’s see what the free
market does with this,” Petrea said.
“If a year from now, no one is inter
ested in farming oysters, I guess we’ll
know, won’t we.”
He also pointed out that the DNR
and Dept, of Agriculture support HB
501.
Jones pointed out that 60 represen
tatives on the House side when the
bill was voted on voted no.
Petrea looked disgusted at Rep.
Jones’ comments and said it was
not Brunswick vs Savannah but the
entire coastal delegation voted for
HB501 except for Jones.
Jones pointed out that the 600
pound gorilla in the room was that
he was persona non grata because he
signed the resolution requesting that
House Speaker David Ralston resign.
“I want to see oyster mariculture
grow in Georgia,” Jones said. “But I
want it to do so in a way that those
people who are going to be produc
ing this product can do so safely and
make money as well.”
“Food safety is of the utmost impor
tance in this business,” Jones contin
ued. He mentioned HB 565 which he
dropped that is supported by the oys
ter mariculture industry. He also said
that Florida, both Carolinas and Vir-
gina allow a 12 month oyster maricul
ture industry. HB565 includes follow
ing the National Sanitary Shellfish
Standards which the DNR’s Coastal
Resources Division (CRD) partici
pates in.
“The 12 month harvesting issue is
addressed in that safety standard,”
Jones said, “by time and temperature
harvesting.”
“HB565 has clear provisions for
when the DNR commissioner can close
the oyster season,” Jones continued.
“Oyster mariculture is not depen
dent on nature like the shrimping
season,” Jones said. “Oysters are a
farmed product that can be grown
safely 12 months out of the year. Our
neighboring states are doing it safely.”
“The issue is the 600 pound gorilla
in the room with the other politics
that are going on,” Jones said.
Jones said he wanted to see
Georgia’s oyster mariculture busi
ness grow but that it couldn’t under
HB501 which includes burdensome
regulations.
All during the time Rep. Jones was
speaking, Rep. Petrea would make
disapproving facial expressions and
hang his head downward, and occa
sionally shake his head negatively.
A gentleman from Macon with an
interest in the industry said HB501
was too “gray” an area for him to ask
an investor get a loan. “No one would
loan me the money for a business on
this legislation.”
He continued saying there is too
much uncertainty in the bill, nothing
in writing. He also strongly suggested
an advisory board of stakeholders.
Jen Hilburn, the Altamaha River-
keeper, was also allowed to speak to
the committee. She stated, “I have
talked over and over to fisherman
and they, nor do I, believe this bill
(HB501) is a bill they can invest in.”
She also pointed out that oysters
consumed in Glynn County are not
from Georgia but from Louisiana or
Texas.
“The longer it takes to transport
the oyster, the better chance it has
of getting bacteria in it. The better
chance you have of getting sick when
you eat it. So it seems clear to me that
Georgia grown oysters for 12 months
out of the year would be a safer op
tion,” she said.
Les A. Schneider, senior principal
at Wimberly Lawson Law Firm in At
lanta spoke next. Schneider also sits
on the board of directors of Inland
Fresh Seafood Corp. of America, Inc.
based in Georgia.
Schneider suggested making an
advisory board including the regula
tors, distributors, farmers, harvest
ers a part of the legislation. He sug
gested making the effective date of
the bill July 1, 2020, so the best busi
ness plan could be worked out saying
he wasn’t sure a lottery was the best
business plan.
HB501 passed out of the commit
tee but two no votes were cast.
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