For Release: Monday, July 11, 2005
DEC Announces Temporary Closure of Three Mile Harbor to Shellfishing for Fireworks Weekend
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Acting Commissioner Denise M. Sheehan today announced that Three Mile Harbor in the Town of East Hampton, Suffolk County, will be temporarily closed to the harvest of shellfish for the 2005 Boys & Girls Harbor Fireworks event weekend. The closure is put in place annually during the busy festivities to protect public health from potential contamination of shellfish from increased boat waste discharges into shellfishing waters. She also urged boaters to utilize pump out facilities to help protect the waters.
"Because this annual festival is expected to draw hundreds of boaters again this year, including many staying overnight, these shellfish lands are being temporarily closed to harvesters to protect public health," Commissioner Sheehan said. "I want to remind all boaters that this area is a No-Discharge Zone and encourage them to follow the law and act responsibly by using pump out facilities. As in past years, DEC expects that the closure will only last five days, at which time, normal shellfishing activities can resume."
The closure will begin at sunrise on Saturday, July 16, 2005, which means no shellfish can be taken from Three Mile Harbor during this period until DEC deems the waters safe and re-opens them for harvest. DEC expects to re-open the area for shellfishing on Thursday, July 21, 2005.
During the past 12 years, Three Mile Harbor has been temporarily closed to shellfishing on the day of the fireworks event and for four days afterward. DEC enacted the temporary closure because of the increased potential for contamination of shellfish beds by the discharge of sewage from the large number of recreational boats that gather for the popular event. Discharges of fecal material from marine sanitation devices (toilets) may contaminate nearby shellfish, rendering the shellfish hazardous for human consumption.
Boaters should be aware that all the waters in the Peconic-Gardiners Bay estuary, including Three Mile Harbor, are designated as a No-Discharge Zone. A No-Discharge Zone is a designated body of water where discharges of treated or untreated boat sewage is prohibited. Boaters in the Peconic-Gardiners Bay area are required to use pump out facilities when they empty their holding tanks. The Town of East Hampton Trustees operate a pump out boat and the Town Harbormaster's office at Gann Road has a self-serve facility. Both are available at no fee for the boater. The town's pump out boat can be contacted using marine radio VHF channel 73.
A taped telephone message advising the public of the status of this or any temporarily closed shellfish area may be heard 24 hours every day at (631) 444-0480. A message will also be provided at the East Hampton Town, Department of Natural Resources Office at (631) 324-6393. Information about rain dates, early re-openings or extensions of closures will be made available at these numbers.
Written descriptions and color-coded maps of these and other shellfish closures can be found on the DEC website.
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