The NJ DEP Division of Fish and Wildlife, with the approval of the Atlantic Coast Section of the New Jersey Shellfisheries Council, will open the oyster beds known as Fitney Bit and Oysterbed Point located at the mouth of the Mullica River to a limited one-week oyster harvest season. The season will commence on Monday, November 9, 2009 and end on Saturday, November 14, 2009. Daily harvest times are sunrise to sunset. The harvest is open to all commercial and recreational shellfish license holders.

Recreational shellfish license holders will be limited to 150 oysters or clams in aggregate per day. As per the Atlantic Coast Harvest Season regulations (NJAC 7:25-19.5), shellfish harvest will be limited to hand tongs only. Please note that the oyster bed known as the Reef Bed listed under the Atlantic Coast Harvest Season regulations (NJAC 7:25-19.5) will remain closed to harvest. See charts below.

The Mullica River Oyster Intermediate Transplant project was initiated in the fall of 2001 when approximately 2,000 bushels of seed oysters were transplanted from the natural oyster seed beds in the Mullica River to a four acre parcel on Fitney Bit located at the mouth of the Mullica River. A subsequent 2,000-bushel intermediate transplant was completed in the fall of 2006 on a new adjacent four-acre parcel. (See see the feature article, Mullica River Oyster Restoration Project for background information.)

These efforts were to try and restore extant historic oyster beds in the Mullica River and to provide the public with an opportunity to harvest oysters along the Atlantic coast of New Jersey. The decision to open Fitney Bit and Oysterbed Point for a limited fall harvest season was based on a review of the Bureau of Shellfisheries ongoing monitoring of bed conditions (% oyster), mortality and growth of the transplanted oysters.

Questions regarding the oyster harvest season can be directed to the Nacote Creek Shellfish Office at 609-748-2040.

Oyster Bed Charts