| To those of us who've spent early evenings | | | | have been oystering for generations, now find |
| mesmerized by astoundingly beautiful purple | | | | that the once large hauls of oysters are |
| and gold sunsets over Apalachicola Bay in | | | | getting smaller each year. While it's hard |
| Northwest Florida, the drought in Georgia and | | | | work for the oystermen, or tongers, as |
| Alabama is becoming a personal matter. Even | | | | they're called in Apalachicola, it's a very |
| though I live 400 miles from this blissful | | | | picturesque scene to see the oyster skiffs on |
| bay between Apalachicola and St. George | | | | a mirror flat bay, bringing up oysters as |
| Island, I dream that some day I'll be a | | | | they've done for years. |
| resident of the area and fish to my heart's | | | | |
| content! I hope the bay will continue to be | | | | The reason for the alarm is the drought |
| the wonderful place it now. | | | | farther north in Georgia. Television news |
| | | | has told us that Atlanta's main source of |
| While attending the annual Oyster Spat | | | | water, Lake Lanier, is drying up. Some say |
| Festival on St. George Island in the early | | | | that they have less than 90 days before the |
| part of October, I learned what a spat was | | | | lake is emptied of useable water. The |
| and the trouble Apalachicola oysters were | | | | situation is so desperate the Governor held a |
| facing due to water shortages in Georgia. I | | | | prayer meeting for rain. Prayer! What a |
| also learned that in addition to killing my | | | | concept! |
| grass at home in Alabama, the drought was | | | | |
| responsible for the Apalachicola River not | | | | The U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, who control |
| pouring enough fresh water into Apalachicola | | | | the amount of water sent down the river from |
| Bay! | | | | Georgia, has recommended to Washington to |
| | | | reduce the amount of water allowed to flow |
| After a little investigation I learned that a | | | | downstream to Apalachicola, leaving more |
| spat is actually a baby oyster; a fact I | | | | water for those folks in Atlanta. That's a |
| never knew. I'd never really given the | | | | scary proposition for oysters! |
| subject of how oysters reproduce a lot of | | | | |
| thought! A female oyster or a male oyster, | | | | The great debate of course is whether the |
| depending on the salinity and temperature of | | | | people of Atlanta need fresh water more than |
| the water can produce over 100,000 eggs. | | | | the oysters of Apalachicola Bay. Without |
| | | | enough fresh water in the bay, grass beds |
| The eggs that don't get eaten by small fish | | | | also dry up, thereby eliminating safe |
| or other predators can drift up to two weeks | | | | breeding grounds for all manner of fish, |
| in a great white cloud until settling to the | | | | including grouper, snapper, redfish and many |
| bottom of the bay and cementing themselves to | | | | other hatchlings. All this means less fish |
| any solid surface as a tiny oyster, called | | | | for the region in years to come. Let's not |
| spats. | | | | forget the mussel and sturgeon of the bay, |
| | | | which are on the endangered species lists. |
| The Apalachicola River, which is fed by the | | | | |
| Chattahoochee River in Georgia, provides | | | | The drought is severe! It not only affects |
| fresh water to the Bay, breaking down the | | | | the residents of Georgia and Alabama, by |
| salinity of the salt water. The result is a | | | | allowing the reduction in water flow of the |
| paradise for oysters, scallops and other | | | | Apalachicola River, but it could wipe out the |
| marine life. Now that river is providing | | | | oyster industry and destroy a beautiful and |
| less fresh water each year, with more and | | | | pristine body of water. |
| more oysters being found dead in their shell. | | | | |
| | | | The ecology of the bay area is changing at an |
| Apalachicola Bay is a fertile and friendly | | | | alarming rate. I like people, but I love |
| body of water and a workplace for hundreds of | | | | oysters too! Maybe Georgia Governor Sonny |
| residents of the area. An estimated 10 | | | | Perdue is on to something! There might be |
| percent of the nation's oysters are supplied | | | | something to this prayer thing! |
| by the Apalachicola area. Men and women, who | | | | |