APALACHICOLA -- Two tons of illegally harvested oysters have been seized in Franklin County.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers in Carrabelle issued citations Monday to five people for 20 misdemeanors and two boating infractions.
The oysters were harvested from areas off Apalachicola that are closed until summer. They were returned to the bay so that they could continue to grow.
Officials say poaching is another threat to an industry already struggling with low freshwater flows and other environmental factors.
Wildlife Commission Capt. Rob Beaton said Monday’s illegal harvests were related to another oyster poaching case on St. George Island earlier this month.