JACKSON, Miss. — In an escalating dispute with state authorities, a coalition of over 20 fishermen is taking legal action against Mississippi for plans to lease vast portions of public oyster reefs in the Mississippi Sound. This group, supported by Mississippi Commercial Fisheries United Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to the interests of commercial fisheries, argues that this proposal threatens their livelihoods.
According to the group, a state bill passed in 2024 has paved the way for private entities to lease up to 80% of these natural oyster habitats. They claim such legislation would establish an unconstitutional privatization scheme. In a strongly worded statement, they expressed concerns that these measures would unfairly remove many families involved in oyster fishing from accessing the vital resources necessary for their economic survival.
The lawsuit was officially filed in Harrison County, naming the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources (MDMR) and its Executive Director, Joe Spraggins, as defendants. The MDMR, which oversees the management of the state’s marine resources, was contacted but declined comment, forwarding inquiries to the Mississippi Attorney General’s office. The latter stated it could not discuss matters involving ongoing legal proceedings.
The MDMR, however, has previously justified the leasing arrangement as a strategic move to boost oyster production while adhering to necessary environmental and conservation standards. This contentious policy emerges as the state’s oyster industry is still struggling to rebound after catastrophic freshwater flooding severely damaged the oyster yields in 2019. This flooding, caused by the release of water through Louisiana’s Bonnet Carré Spillway, devastated what were once the most fertile oyster reefs in Mississippi, posing significant challenges to those who rely on oyster harvesting for a living.