Important: Narragansett Bay Shellfish Closures— 10/7/16

Samples collected by DEM and testing conducted by HEALTH today has confirmed that a bloom of the phytoplankton Pseudo-nitzschia spp is producing toxics. The toxin produced by this phytoplankton, domoic acid, is responsible for causing amnesiac shellfish poisoning (ASP).  The symptoms of ASP can include short and long term memory loss along with other serious health effects.

RIDEM is working with HEALTH to collect shellfish for analysis to determine if the toxins are present in shellfish meats at levels of concern. Given the high phytoplankton concentrations measured at several locations throughout the Bay DEM is taking this precautionary step of closing all portions of Narragansett Bay where elevated concentrations of this phytoplankton were found.

Effective sunrise tomorrow Friday October 7, 2016 and until further notice, shellfish harvesting is prohibited in waters of Narragansett Bay, Greenwich Bay, and all tributaries to those waters north of a line from a point just north of the Pettaquamscutt (Narrow) River at Cormorant Point to Beavertail Point in Jamestown to Brenton Point in Newport and south of a line from south of a line from the Old Tower at Nayatt Point to the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management range marker on a pole located on Conimicut Point.

At this time the conditional areas of Mt. Hope Bay and the Kickemuit River are scheduled to reopen at noon on Saturday October 8.

DEM maintains a 24-hour shellfishing hotline, providing updates on shellfish closure areas: 401-222-2900.