Break Out The Nets, Scallop Season In The Niantic River OK'd

EAST LYME, CT — What otherwise might have been a perfunctory read, the minutes from the Waterford East Lyme Shellfish Commission of Nov. 21 include something not often seen: a scallop season in the Niantic River.

The commission was discussing whether or not to open a season, when citizen Mike
Stepsky of Quaker Hill told commissioners, "he had seen enough scallops to warrant a scallop season and encouraged the commission to approve" it. A vote was taken and the season blessed in a 6-1 decision.

For non-commercial scallop catchers only, a permit costs $35 and can be purchased at East Lyme and Waterford town halls. The limit is two gallons per day, from 9 a.m. to sunset, which is around 4:30 to 4:45 through Jan. 15 .

As reported by The Day, the season will be only the third since 2011 and before that, going back a decade, no permits were issued.

In 2006, the Niantic River Watershed Protection Plan noted that historically, the decline in the bay scallop population was related to a decrease in eel grass and at the time, said that the sharp decline in the delectable shellfish Argopecten irradians led the Commission to "no longer issue shellfishing permits for them."

Permits are also available at landmark bait and tackle shop Hillyers, 374 Mago Point Way, Waterford. For information on very limited December hours, call (860) 443-7615.