April 18, 2012 – For decades, many Cape towns have used relatively inexpensive quahogs from contaminated beds in the Taunton River estuary to restock their shellfishing areas.
The state Division of Marine Fisheries says the shellfish are safe to eat following a quarantine period during which the animals purge themselves of contaminants. But some believe the state is not doing enough to protect the public and the environment.
Last week, the nonprofit Association to Preserve Cape Cod sent a letter to state Environmental Secretary Richard Sullivan concerned about the wide range of pollutants in the Taunton River, including heavy metals, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and pesticides. The environmental group questioned whether participating towns were putting their own waters and shellfish beds at risk.
"It is APCC's opinion that the (program) is not consistent with either the goal of maintaining a safe and reliable food supply or the goal of promoting fisheries best management practices," Executive Director Edward DeWitt wrote.
DeWitt proposed the relay program immediately be put on hold and that the state instead create a shellfish nursery program in clean water and work on improving water quality in Taunton and other areas.
But Mike Hickey, the fisheries services' chief shellfish biologist, said the program is closely monitored and safe. Eight or nine Cape towns have participated in it at some time, he said.
The Taunton River estuary has been closed to shellfishing since 1918 because of bacterial contamination.
But once transplanted to cleaner waters, the estuary's shellfish metabolize and purge the bacteria and other pathogens, even the metals to a certain extent, Hickey said. Bacteria are largely gone within 72 hours; viruses take about a month. The transplant areas in the towns remain closed until they are safe to eat, he said.
Read the full story at the New Bedford Standard Times.