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