South Mississippi oyster growers hopeful for new legislation
ROY HOWARD COMMUNITY JOURNALISM CENTER-Mississippi is leading by example when it comes to the future of seafood farming in the United States.
As Congress considers new legislation aimed at expanding aquaculture, oyster growers along the Coast are already showing what’s possible.
Justin Glowacki with the Roy Howard Community Journalism Center reports.
Just off the coast of Deer Island, Mark Havard spends his weeks farming oysters floating in cages.
His business, Two Crackers Oyster Company, is part of Mississippi’s growing aquaculture industry.
Havard says the work is hands-on and far from glamorous. “It’s a dirty, nasty job. There are easier and cleaner ways to make money, but I’m on a boat twice a week and I absolutely love it.”
Havard got his start through a Mississippi Department of Marine Resources training program.
Shellfish Bureau Director Jason Rider says it was created when the state shifted toward aquaculture after years of hurricanes, freshwater flooding and oil spills damaged natural oyster reefs. “The goal of the program is to take individuals that are interested in oyster farming or permaculture and teaching them the basics.”
Since 2018, the program has trained about 100 people — with roughly 30 going on to start their own operations.
Now, the industry is now part of a national conversation.
On December 2nd, more than 150 seafood businesses and researchers sent a letter urging Congress to pass the Marine Aquaculture Research for America Act.
Dr. Kelly Lucas, who has helped developed policy and regulations for aquaculture for 17 years, says the bill would streamline federal permitting and fund a large-scale demonstration fish farm in U.S. waters. “The growth in seafood is all coming from aquaculture, and everywhere else in the world does it better than we do.”
Lucas says the U.S. has the technology to grow more of its own seafood — but lacks a clear federal path for farmers to operate, especially offshore. “There’s a lot of different agencies involved, and every agency kind of points out the other agency as to who’s really the responsible party because there is no specific thing saying you are responsible for aquaculture.”
Supporters say the bill could cut years of delays, strengthen coastal economies and keep seafood production, and jobs, in the U.S.
For Havard, the work isn’t just about American businesses. It’s also about American families. “It’s a family affair, truly. My wife does a lot of the marketing side. She helps with sales as well. We have two boys, and they help us with the labor part of it, and we’ve been doing it for about five years, and we absolutely love it.”
