Community Corner
Shellfishing Starts In Barnstable After Delay For Water Testing
Hyannis Harbor underwent toxicity testing after a concerning phytoplankton bloom, pausing local shellfishing. Shellfishing can resume today.
BARNSTABLE, MA — Shellfishing season is officially back open today after a delay due to a concerning phytoplankton bloom, Barnstable officials announced.
The Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) conducted toxicity screening of shellfish from Hyannis Harbor (shellfish growing area SC27) and Lewis Bay (SC28) in the Towns of Barnstable and Yarmouth following a precautionary closure due to a bloom of the phytoplankton Pseudo-nitzschia spp., which is known to produce Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning (ASP) toxins in shellfish.
DMF has determined that shellfish from these areas are safe and that the areas may be re-opened to harvest shellfish for direct human consumption, officials said.
Find out what's happening in Barnstable-Hyannisfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The precautionary closure issued on Jan. 13 will be lifted, and the status of the areas will be changed to "open to shellfishing", effective at sunrise on Thursday.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
