Releases – October 27, 2011
Nothing says fall on the coast ofNorth Carolinalike the beginning of oyster season, when people pull out the fire grates and steamer pans, and get ready to slurp them down. But those pearls of delight need to be properly stored and chilled to ensure a healthy eating experience.
The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries offers the following safety tips regarding oysters: Only purchase oysters from licensed dealers. These dealers are inspected and required to keep oysters under refrigeration and keep sanitation records.
Once you have purchased oysters, keep them cold. Shell oysters need to be kept at or below 45 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent bacterial growth.
Thoroughly wash oysters prior to cooking. Remove all mud and dirt from the outside of the oyster, using a stiff brush and pressurized water.
Store oysters away from other contaminants. Oysters are living animals when you purchase them, so they can become contaminated by placing them on wet floors, splashing them with dirty water, or dripping raw fish and other foods.
Prior to cooking or raw consumption, discard dead oysters. Dead oysters will have slightly gaping shells that will not close when tapped. Once cooked or roasted, oyster shells will naturally open.
Those with compromised immune systems should fully cook all oysters before consumption. People with liver disease, alcoholism, diabetes, cancer, stomach or blood disorders, or those on medication that weakens the immune system are at risk for a potentially serious or even fatal illness from the naturally occurring bacteria Vibrio vulnificus.
Of course, the consumer’s responsibility with oysters does not end with the roasting. After eating oysters, take the shells to one of the division’s Oyster Shell Recycling Program drop-off centers. A list of public oyster shell recycling sites and restaurants that participate in the program can be found on the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries website at www.ncfisheries.net/shellfish/recycle1.htm.
The Oyster Shell Recycling program returns the oyster, clam, conch, and mussel shells to coastal waters where they will provide numerous benefits to the environment. When oysters spawn, the larvae need a hard substrate on which to attach and grow. Oysters will attach to many kinds of surfaces, but they prefer shell material.
Additionally, oysters clean pollutants from the water. One adult oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water a day, and oyster reefs provide habitat for fish and other marine life.
For more information on the proper handling and chilling of shellfish, contact Patti Fowler, who works with the division’s Shellfish Sanitation and Recreational Water Quality Section, at (252) 808-8147 or Patti.Fowler@ncdenr.gov. For more information on the Oyster Shell Recycling Program, contact Sabrina Varnam at (252) 726-7021 or (800) 682-2632 or Sabrina.Varnam@ncdenr.gov.
The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission will meet Nov. 2-4 at the Coastal Education and Visitor’s Center atFortMaconState Park,2300 East Fort Macon Road,AtlanticBeach. The meeting is open to the public. The commission is slated to review public comments and advisory committee recommendations on options to end overfishing in the spotted seatrout fishery.
A 2010 stock assessment found that a 57.1 percent reduction in fishing mortality is needed to end overfishing of spotted seatrout within two years of final adoption of the Spotted Seatrout Fishery Management Plan. One of several options for reaching this target in the recreational fishery includes reducing the bag limit to two fish per day.
There are also several options for reaching the target in the commercial fishery, including reducing the trip limit to 50 fish per day with a weekend closure.
The commission also plans to further discuss provisions of a proposed limited entry license system for the commercialAtlantic Oceanstriped bass fishery. The commission adopted a proposal for limited entry at its September meeting. The proposal includes a long-term plan to add hook and line as an allowable commercial gear in the fishery.
The full agenda and briefing booklet can be found on the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries website at www.ncdenr.org.
The meeting begins with a public comment session at 6:00 p.m. on Nov. 2. Anyone who wishes to speak to the commission on a fisheries-related matter may do so then or at 9:15 a.m. on Nov. 3. Due to time constraints, the commission chairman asks individuals to speak only once, either Nov. 2 or Nov. 3, but not during both public comment periods. The business sessions of the meeting begins at 9:00 a.m. on Nov. 3 and 8:30 a.m. on Nov. 4.
The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission has completed renovations to the Salter’s Creek Boating Access Area, which is now open to the public.
The ramp was replaced, and a fixed dock was replaced with a larger, floating dock with handrails to assist disabled boaters. Wildlife Commission staff also replaced the bulkhead and improved the maneuvering area.
“This site inCarteretCountygives boaters more convenient access to Salter’s Creek and the waters of the Pamlico and Core sounds,” said Erik Christofferson, chief of the Commission’s Division of Engineering Services. “This site is frequented by recreational boaters and local commercial fishermen and women, along with deer and duck hunters. We hope they are as excited about this facelift to Salter’s Creek as we are.”
Renovations to the boating access area were funded from motorboat registration receipts.
The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission has more than 200 free, 24-hour boating access areas across the state. For more information, visit the boating page on www.ncwildlife.org. To find a boating access area near you, visit the interactive boating access area locator map.
