In some areas you cannot eat the oysters because of the high levels of pollution in the water. These oysters can be donated to a reef, but only when supervised by state personnel. There are three classifications set by the health department for shellfish sanitation. The first is safe to eat shellfish, the second is you may relay the oysters to healthy waters for a period of time to filter out pollution, and the third is unsafe to eat shellfish altogether. You should consult the State Health Department Division of Shellfish Sanitation to determine the classification of your waters.
Some people like to eat raw oysters.
Just like it is not a good idea to eat raw meat from the grocery store, it is better to cook your oysters before eating them, even if they come from a non-contaminated waterway. People normally start eating oysters when the oyster is at least 3 inches in length. Oysters, unlike clams, only get better the larger they grow. The best times to eat oysters are from the end of November to the end of December and in May and June. Oysters grow plump in the spring and fall, but sort of hibernate in the winter and live off their fat stores.