Potter Pond In South Kingstown Reopens For Shellfish Harvesting

SOUTH KINGSTOWN, RI — Potter Pond has reopened for shellfish harvesting, state officials confirmed.

Potter Pond had been closed to shellfish harvesting due to bacterial contamination that was detected in early Sept. 2021.

A RIDOH investigation indicated that eight people became ill after consuming raw shellfish harvested from Potter Pond and that the illnesses were due to Campylobacter bacterial contamination.

The Campylobacter contamination has been linked to the presence of flocks of birds aggregating near shellfish growing areas, state health officials said.

The Rhode Island Department of Health, the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council , and Rhode Island of Environmental Management have worked with Potter Pond shellfish growers to mitigate the presence of birds near shellfish growing areas in Potter Pond.

State officials said that over the past several weeks regular analysis of shellfish meats and water samples have verified that the bacteria levels in shellfish harvested from Potter Pond have returned to levels that are safe for harvest and consumption of shellfish.