State Lifts Ban on Harvesting Snails in Lower Sakonnet; Area Still Closed to Other Shellfishing

MIDDLETOWN, RI — The state on Wednesday re-opened lower Narragansett Bay, lower Sakonnet River, and a portion of Rhode Island Sound for harvesting carnivorous snails, including whelk and moon snails. But the area is still off limits to other shellfishing, the state Department of Environmental Management said.

The lower Sakonnet on Oct. 21 was closed to shellfishing, due to a toxic algae bloom. The health department and the DEM have continued to monitor the situation.

"The harvesting closure, associated with the harmful algae bloom being monitored in local waters, for all other types of shellfish remains in effect for these areas, the DEM said Wednesday.

But "whelk collected from the closed areas yesterday have tested negative for the toxin, allowing the harvesting ban for carnivorous snails to be lifted," according to the DEM.

Per the latest press release, "impacted waters include all waters north of a line from Point Judith to Sakonnet Point Light; and south of a line from the southern extension of 2nd street in the Sauga Point area of North Kingstown to Conanicut Point in Jamestown; to the day marker at Halfway Rock in Portsmouth."

Also, the DEM said, "the restriction also extends to waters south of an east/west line across the Sakonnet River lying one-quarter mile south of the pipeline found just south of Black Point."

As far as the snails and whelk go, "shellfish harvested from the open portions of Harvester Tagging Areas 4A and 3W should temporarily be identified as 4A North and 3W North," the department added.