16-22-MMS| March 29, 2016 BILOXI, Miss. – Officials with the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources announced Tuesday that two areas will reopen to the harvest of oysters at legal sunrise Wednesday, March 30.   These conditionally approved areas are:   Area II “E” – This area includes Square Handkerchief Reef and southern portions of Henderson Point

16-21-MMS| March 25, 2016 BILOXI, Miss. – The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources will conduct a crab trap gear closure for commercial and recreational crab fishermen beginning at 6 a.m. Tuesday, April 5, 2016 through 6 a.m. Thursday, April 15.   From April 5-11, crabbers must remove their own traps from the designated closure areas,

16-20-MSS | March 24, 2016 BILOXI, Miss. – Officials with the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources announced Thursday that the commercial fishing season for Red Drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) will close in Mississippi territorial waters on Friday, March 25, at 12:01 p.m.   The season will reopen on Sunday, May 1, 2016, at 12:01 a.m.  

16-19-MMS| March 22, 2016 BILOXI, Miss. – A junior from Long Beach High School has won the second annual Celebrate the Gulf poster contest.   Grace Bennett, 16, said she found out about the contest through the school.   “I’m interested in pursuing a career in art,” she said. “It looked like an interesting competition,

16-17-CWS | March 17, 2016 BILOXI, Miss. – The state Commission on Marine Resources will meet Tuesday, March 22, in Biloxi. The meeting begins at 9 a.m. and will be held at the Bolton State Building in the first-floor auditorium. An agenda is attached. The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources is dedicated to enhancing, protecting and

16-16-CWS | March  11, 2016 BILOXI, Miss. – The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources will close five oyster areas at 4 p.m. Friday, March 11, agency officials said Friday.   The following conditionally approved areas will close:   Area II “A” – This area includes northern portions of the Pass Christian and Henderson Point reefs and

16-15-CWS | March 10, 2016 BILOXI, Miss. – Officials with the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources announced Thursday that the agency will begin the initial processing next week for a Blue Crab Restoration Program.   This program will consist of removing derelict crab traps from the Mississippi Sound, waterways and marshes in Hancock, Harrison and

16-14-CWS | March 4, 2016 BILOXI, Miss. – An additional oyster area will reopen for harvesting at legal sunrise Saturday, March 5, officials with the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources announced Friday.The conditionally approved area that will open is:   Area II “D” – This includes the public reefs in St. Louis Bay, between the U.S.

16-12-CWS | March 3, 2016 BILOXI, Miss. – Two additional oyster areas will reopen for harvesting at legal sunrise Friday, March 4, officials with the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources announced Thursday.   The reefs have been closed since 4 p.m. Dec. 11 because of the red tide, the opening of the Bonnet Carre Spillway

16-11-MMS| March 2, 2016 BILOXI, Miss. – Two oyster areas will reopen for harvesting at legal sunrise Thursday, March 3, officials with the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources announced Wednesday.   The reefs have been closed since 4 p.m. Dec. 11 because of the red tide, the opening of the Bonnet Carre Spillway and excessive