2024 marked the return of oyster season on the Mississippi Gulf Coast for the first time in six years. For now, the Mississippi Sound is starting to rebound, and local oystermen are savoring the success of the 2024 season. But, as Parkinson and others know, the future remains uncertain.

Mississippi’s plan to lease 80% of its historically public oyster reefs to private leaseholders has sparked debate between fishermen and policymakers.