April 8, 2026 — A Mississippi court has struck down a private lease scheme invented by the state legislature for future oyster harvesting, deeming the program unconstitutional.
“In sum, and as discussed hereafter, the court finds that the On-Bottom Lease Laws effectively deny the plaintiffs and the public the right to harvest oysters guaranteed to them by [the Mississippi state constitution] and further that the obligations placed on the lessees by the On-Bottom Lease Laws do not promote oyster conservation and management for future generations of the public,” Chancery Court Judge Jim Persons said in a 23 March ruling.