The economic disaster of the oyster industry around Apalachicola Bay has turned inside out the pockets of a community that has long relied upon the waterway for its life.
Families are suffering -- many say "desperately" -- as the state continues to await a response from the Obama administration on whether to declare the region a fishery resources disaster. The bay has been hindered by severe drought, a reduction in fresh water and also self-inflicted wounds from the harvesting of immature oysters in recent, difficult times.
Joan Jefferson, coordinator of Florida Main Street, in Apalachicola recently for a state economic development meeting, witnessed firsthand the community's desperation. "It was the first time I had ever seen children in Florida literally starving -- going to bed hungry. Mothers are giving their kids a glass of water and telling them to go to bed."
Jefferson has helped organized food drives at the State Department in Tallahassee where she works. Word of Apalachicola's need spread to other state departments, where food collections are being organized. Jefferson said she will collect the donations this week and deliver them to the small Panhandle city.
Resources of local faith-based charities are stretched, say community leaders.
Joe Taylor, director of Franklin's Promise Coalition in Apalachicola, said, I just got off the phone with a lady who works at the RV park where a lot of the oystermen live. Her boss isnt able to pay her because (the oyster harvesters) are not able to pay their rent.So were beginning to see this trickle on through our local economy.
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putman placed blame on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for restricting upstream water flow which has reduced the amount of fresh water vital for the growth of oysters in the bay.
This will be devastating for their economy and a real kick in the teeth to the men and women who depend upon the bay for their livelihood, Putnam said.
And its unfortunate that all the things weve been saying about the Corps lowering the releases is finally coming home to roost.
Earlier this month, Gov. Rick Scott asked the U.S. Department of Commerce to declare oyster harvesting areas in the Gulf of Mexico around Apalachicola Bay a fishery resource disaster, in part because of years of drought conditions and overharvesting.
The designation may not bring immediate fiscal relief, but would validate the need for support from broader relief agencies that often can move quicker than the federal government.
For these folks to know they are supported has value too, Taylor said. The whole mental health component is just as important as any other piece.
Scotts letter requested the designation from Acting Commerce Secretary Rebecca Blank as Franklin County leaders have estimated that 2,500 jobs have been impacted by the decline in harvesting conditions.
The Florida Panhandle and Apalachicola Bay, as the drainage basin of the Apalachicola, Flint, and Chattahoochee rivers, have experienced drought conditions for several years resulting in reduced freshwater input into Apalachicola Bay, Scott wrote.
This absence of fresh water contributes to higher salinity levels adversely affecting oyster populations and contributing to mass natural mortality events and a dramatic increase in oyster predation.
Scott noted that harvesting practices have been altered and stressed as harvesting areas in neighboring states were closed, which has resulted in overharvesting of illegal and sub-legal oysters.
Recent oyster resource assessments indicate that the outlook for the 2012/2013 harvesting season is poor and unlikely to sustain commercial harvesting levels, Scott wrote.
As part of the request, Scott has asked for disaster relief money to help further assess the causes of the decline, determine what can be done to reverse the trends and to help the business community impacted by the disaster.
For a community with few jobs beyond fishing, tourism and government, many believe there are few work options immediately available, which is why local faith-based charities have been forced to reach out to their national organizations to pump in short-term relief, Taylor said.
There is a ripple effect as this also impacts shuckers, shrimp headers, truck drivers, people who work in oyster houses, it gets a little more magnified, Taylor said.
The state Department of Economic Opportunity and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission are developing action plans to retrain and repair the waterway.
Putnam said such efforts may provide short-term relief but any fix will require long-term solutions.
Taylor said shelter and food are the most critical needs right now for about 800 people.
Here are some links:
Food Bank directory, http://www.fafb.org/food-bank-directory/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/BAY-AID-Franklincom/319057535271
http://www.bayaidfranklin.com/
http://news.ufl.edu/2012/09/17/oyster-task-force/
Reach Jim Turner at jturner@sunshinestatenews.com or at (772) 215-9889. Nancy Smith contributed to this story.
