BILOXI, Miss. (AP) — February 17, 2016 — State Department of Marine Resources officials say the future of oyster season reopening is still dependent on the flood level of the Pearl River.

During the regular February meeting on Tuesday of the Commission for Marine Resources, director of the Office of Marine Fisheries Joe Jewell said he doesn’t have a definitive answer for when the season will reopen.

Jewell said water samples were collected Monday and will be conducted again on Wednesday.

He says the tests show the amount of bacteria brought into the Gulf of Mexico from the fresh water of the Pearl River.

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