Category: Discussion

RI DEM Public Notice Concerning Proposed Regulatory Changes

“The RI DEM proposes amendments to the Rhode Island Marine Fisheries Regulations (RIMFR) and gives notice of intent to hold a workshop and public hearing to afford interested parties the opportunity for public comment.”

The public hearing will be at 6:00PM on September, 21, 2025 at the URI Graduate School of Oceanography, in the Hazard Room, with a workshop to to be held before the public hearing at 4:30PM.

To view and learn more on the proposals click here.

Shellfish Management Plan (SMP) Stakeholder Meeting

Come join us for the 2015 SMP stakeholder meeting

 Please join us for a Shellfish Management Plan (SMP) Stakeholder Meeting
Thursday, June 25th, 2015, 5:00-7:00pm
Corless Auditorium, URI Bay Campus (map attached)

Want to learn how to safely shuck a clam and oyster?

Interested in growing oysters at your dock?

Wondering how you can go clamming with an expert this summer?

All this info and more at our next SMP stakeholder meeting!

Come hear progress since the launch of the SMP in November, including work on implementing the SMP recommendations, more shellfish research money available for 2016, clamming classes hosted by DEM, what you need to know/do to keep your shellfish safe for consumption, and a feature presentation on the ins and outs of shellfish restoration in Rhode Island. As a special treat, learn from a long-time quahogger how to properly shuck shellfish – Live demo and tasting included! We will also hear a URI students thesis results

Fruit, cookies, and beverages will be provided. Please rsvp to smp@etal.uri.edu. Feel free to call Azure at (401)874-6197 if you have any questions/concerns.

 

 

DEM annual re-classification of shellfish waters and seasonal closures

Shared on behalf of RI DEM:

DEM annual re-classification of shellfish waters and seasonal closures – Improved water quality leads to two areas open in Newport and Westerly.

In response to SMP stakeholder requests, DEM added a layer to their interactive map that includes coordinates for all the corners, points and intersections of closure lines for each of the closure descriptions in addition to their usual reference descriptions. These are provided as an aid to locating closure lines however the written description within the notice is the legal description in determining where the closure lines are. See the DEM Notice of Polluted Shellfishing Grounds May 2015.

More info and a new interactive mapping portal are available here or by calling DEM’s Office of Water Resources at 222-3961.

Spring 2015 SMP Newsletter

Welcome and long-live the long-awaited SPRING! We hope you’re all bustling like birds and bees with house, farm, and fishing projects. We’ve all survived the winter and now it’s time to look ahead to bright and productive spring & summer seasons!

On the SMP front, work has continued. Some news to share:

    • The SMP Implementation Team, composed of state and industry leaders, is hard at work developing a strategy to make your SMP recommendations happen.
    • A SMP stakeholder meeting will be held on Thurs. June 25th, 5:00-7:00pm in Corless Auditorium on the URI Bay Campus to discuss the SMP Implementation of recommendations,research opportunities, and upcoming events. Feature presentation on shellfish restoration work by RWU’s Matt Griffin.
    • The SMP Team is working hard in partnership with our state and national leadership to formally launch a Rhode Island Shellfish Initiative, in alignment with NOAA’s National Shellfish Initiative. A state initiative will keep the focus and momentum on shellfish resources, industries, and local seafood promotion in the state as well as generate new and exciting synergies and opportunities.
    • RI DEM, the wild harvest shellfish industry, and the Department of Health successfully crafted new shellfish handling regulations to help maintain the excellent reputation for quality and safety of Rhode Island-harvested shellfish. Full regulations can be found here on page 26.
    • Rhode Island Sea Grant is offering funding for 2016-2018 research projects related
      to: a) improved understanding of shellfish stock assessment and populations, and b) impacts of climate change on finfish and shellfish in Narragansett Bay. More info can be found here; proposals are due June 1st.
    • Be sure to join the shellfish community and our state leadership on May 28th, 11:30am- 5:00pm for Agriculture Day at the State House in Providence. Amongst the festivities & food, the winners of this year’s Local Agriculture and Seafood Act (LASA) grants will be announced.
    • Looking down the pike, some events to mark on your calendars: The 4th Annual  Quahoggers Jamboree on June 24th from 5-8pm at the Warwick Library; 2nd Annual Oyster Festival on June 21st @ 11am in Bristol ; August 7/8/9th is the annual Charlestown Seafood Festival; Sept. 12/13th is the Rhode Island Seafood Festival in Galilee; and Sept.19th is the Ocean State Oyster Festival in Providence.  These are only some of the many shellfish-related events sure to happen this summer. Stay tuned; we’ll post more as we hear of them. If you have an event to share, please email us!
    • Summer season is approaching which means digging your own shellfish! Remember to KEEP IT COLD! Bring ice packs and a cooler with you to the clam flats, do not leave shellfish in a hot car, and refrigerate in a dry bowl when you return home. Cold shellfish are safe shellfish!
    • RI DEM will be carrying on the SMP tradition and hosting three “Clamming 101” classes this summer. Dates to be decided; contact Kim.Sullivan@DEM.RI.Gov for more info and to sign up.
    • Reminder: In February, the RI DEM Office of Water Resources’ Shellfish Program went live with a new and improved website, complete with an interactive shellfish map and new email address going directly to shellfish program staff to better respond to missing/damaged signs or data requests. The email: dem.shellfish@dem.ri.gov and website.

Remember, the SMP document can be found at: http://www.rismp.org/the-plan/.  There will be future opportunity to update the SMP; we’ll keep you posted. Hope to see you soon! As always, feel free to contact us or stop by to share news/events/concerns. smp@etal.uri.edu or 401.874.6197.

Thank you,
The SMP Team

NEW Shellfish Regulations for 2015

Posted on behalf of RI DEM

PLEASE NOTE: NEW SHELLFISH REGULATIONS FOR 2015 FOR COMMERCIAL HARVESTERS

More information can be found on the RI DEM website here.

Tagging (All year)
Shellfish tags must be completed and attached to bags or containers prior to any shellfish taken being placed in containers and must include harvest commencement time. Harvest commencement time is when the first shellfish on a given day is taken from the water (the initial commencement time is the same on all your tags for that day).

Between November 1 – April 30
All shellfish must be delivered to a dealer within 20 hours of the commencement of harvest.

Between May 1 – October 31
All shellfish must be delivered to a dealer within 10 hours of the commencement of harvest.

Shellfish that are harvested from the coastal ponds must be adequately iced or refrigerated within 5 hours of the commencement of harvest and delivered to the dealer within 10 hours of the commencement of harvest.

All shellfish need to be kept in the shade while in possession of the harvester, including during land based deliveries.

*Whelks, Ocean Quahogs, and Surf Clams are exempt from these requirements*

 

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