No shellfishing in Smith Cove

Shading show the areas the DEC has temporarily closed to
shellfishing during the town’s pumping project.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has
temporarily closed shellfish beds in 580 acres of Shelter Island Sound
during the town’s flood mitigation project.

Bay bottoms between Wards Point and Bass Creek and over to North Haven will be   off limits beginning Friday, May 28, at sunrise, in anticipation of the beginning of
floodwater discharge into the South Ferry Channel that day.

In a press release, the DEC stated that the closures are needed “because
shellfish could ingest pathogenic bacteria or viruses found in the
flood waters. The town provided DEC with data that showed elevated fecal
coliform levels in the flood waters and indicated that in-ground septic
systems for a number of residences were inundated and could fail.”
The DEC expects as much as 1.5 million gallons of flood waters may be
pumped on a daily basis.

The closure applies to both recreational and commercial shellfish harvesting.

DEC said that it will reopen areas as soon as possible, based on the results of
laboratory analyses of water samples to be collected by the town. “If the
testing determines that fecal coliform levels are not a public health
threat, pumping may be conducted around the clock to speed up the work
and potentially lift the shellfish closure sooner.”

A taped message advising harvesters of the status of these and other
shellfish area closures may be heard by calling (631) 444-0480. The
message will be updated during the course of the temporary closure.