Sewer Spill affects shellfish harvesters in Sussex County.
MILLSBORO, Del.- DNREC issued an emergency closure of commercial and recreational shellfish harvest of oysters, clams and mussels in the Rehoboth Bay after a plumbing contractor cut a sewer line at Mariners Cove Mobile Home. Operator of Friends Clams & Oysters Steven Friend says the 21 day pause puts the breaks on his business.
"It's devastating. When you're talking about selling anywhere from six to eight thousand oysters a week and now you're going to sell zero, that hurts," said Friend.
Restaurants like Seaside Fish House say over the next three weeks, they’ll turn to other vendors.
"We are outsourcing to other locations where we can get those oysters," said Seaside Fish House General Manager Wayne Smeltzer.
Friend says he’s worried about when restaurants will return to local oysters.
“Lord knows when restaurants are going to say no I’ll buy your osters again,” said Friend.
Friend says when restaurants do look to buy again, the oysters will be bigger and less appealing to restaurants looking to sell their customers a smaller oyster. The past year did not treat Friend’s business well either.
"Here we are again at square one. We got through the pandemic last year and now this year we got a spill and we're shut down," said Friend.
Friend says he hopes the state can test the water to see where exactly the spillage is traveling to.