Politics & Government
Shellfishing Closed in Mt. Sinai Harbor
Temporary closure, announced on Monday, follows heavy rainfall on Sunday.
Due to extreme stormwater runoff during Sunday's rains, the Department of Environmental Conservation announced on Monday that shellfish harvesting is temporarily closed in Mt. Sinai Harbor.
Shellfishing is prohibited through April 30, DEC officials said.
According to a DEC statement, "Extraordinary volumes of stormwater runoff carry bacteria and viruses into the creeks, coves, harbors and bays and may cause shellfish in the affected areas to be hazardous for use as food."
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In addition to Mt. Sinai Harbor, over a dozen other locations across Long Island were shut down by the regulatory agency. Rainfall exceeding three inches was measured in all of the affected areas, according to the DEC.
Individuals can call 631-444-0480 to hear a recorded message about status updates of shellfishing areas. For more detail, the public is free to call the Bureau of Marine Resources at 631-444-0475 during normal business hours.
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