DEM Closes Area of Upper Narragansett Bay to Shellfishing

The Department of Environmental Management announces that the Conimicut Triangle and Area A of Upper Narragansett Bay will be closed to shellfishing beginning at sunrise on Tuesday, Feb. 26.

The closure is being enacted due to a period of inadequate disinfection at the Narragansett Bay Commission’s Bucklin Point Wastewater Treatment Facility located in East Providence, which resulted in the facility discharging effluent to the Seekonk River with elevated fecal coliform levels.

The Bucklin Point Wastewater Treatment Facility is currently under construction to meet stricter effluent quality discharge limits. Facility staff is reviewing procedures to mitigate further impacts to treatment resulting from construction activities. DEM is reviewing the matter and is working with NBC staff. 

DEM plans to reopen Conimicut Triangle and Area A of Upper Narragansett Bay to shellfishing at sunrise on Tuesday, March 5. 

DEM maintains a 24-hour shellfishing hotline with recorded updated information on shellfish closure areas. That number is 222-2900.