The Alabama Department of Public Health has closed shellfish harvesting in all six of its Mobile Bay growing areas after Hurricane Isaias rainfall raised the risk of bacterial contamination in oyster beds. The order covers Areas I through VI in Baldwin and Mobile counties, including Cedar Point, Portersville Bay, Heron Bay, Navy Cove, Dauphin Island Bay and Grand Bay.
The closure is a precaution, not a response to sick people. ADPH tied the order to possible bacteriological contamination from storm rainfall, and the department has not reported any illnesses linked to oysters from the closed waters.
For oyster lovers along the Gulf Coast, the closure changes where local shellfish can legally come from for now. It does not mean oysters already on a restaurant plate or seafood counter are unsafe, and it does not affect shellfish harvested legally from open waters elsewhere.
Six Harvest Areas Closed Under a Health Order
State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris ordered harvesting closed as of 10 a.m. on Oct. 8, 2026, according to the ADPH release. The department said the order was issued because rainfall associated with Hurricane Isaias may have contaminated the oyster beds with bacteria…