MILLSBORO, Del. - Delaware's Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control has announced that the Indian River Bay is now reopened to clamming and shellfish harvesting. This follows a mandatory 21-day closure period following the January 15 wastewater spill from Millsboro's sewage system.
The emergency closure was required under the National Shellfish Sanitation Program when the sewage spill threatened to impact the bay. The closure period was both protective of public health and allowed time for natural cleansing of bivalve shellfish and areas of the Indian River Bay that provide a habitat for clams and mussels.
The Indian River Bay closure did not impact the Rehoboth Bay, particularly the oysters grown there under commercial aquaculture leases, DNREC says. The agency also says that the harvest of crabs, conch and finish in the Indian River Bay was not affected by the closure.
More information about waterway closures and the DNREC Shellfish Program can be found here.