Welcome to Skagit County
April 7th, 2011
Samish Bay shellfish beds reopened
SKAGIT COUNTY
- The Washington State Department of Health reopened Samish Bay shellfish
beds today, April 7, 2011. The Department of Health closed the beds on March
30, 2011 due to high fecal coliform counts; however, after recently collected
water quality monitoring data, the Bay is again safe for harvesting.
The State Department of Health has specific water quality criteria for Samish
Bay. If the Samish River and surrounding creeks and ditches contribute too
much pollution, the Bay closes until water quality samples can be collected
to ensure safety of the local waters.
Governor Christine Gregoire expressed concern about Samish Bay shellfish bed
closures during the Government Management and Accountability Program session
on Puget Sound held yesterday in Olympia. Gregoire challenged state agencies
to address this issue quickly.
When the Bay is closed, shellfish farms can't harvest their crops and it is
unsafe to consume shellfish recreationally harvested from the Bay. Farms may
have safe shellfish for sale during the closure that was either harvested
prior to the closure or brought in from growing areas elsewhere in the state.
Potential sources of polluting bacteria in the Samish River watershed include:
-
Failing onsite sewage systems
-
Manure from commercial and non-commercial farms with livestock including cattle, sheep, goats, horses, llamas, alpacas, etc.
-
Farming operations that spread animal manure as fertilizer
-
Human recreational activities including boating, hunting, fishing, and hiking
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Marine live-aboard boats
-
Waterfowl attracted to fields
-
Pet waste that is not collected and disposed of properly
For more information on clean water efforts in the Samish Watershed, and for a calendar of Samish Bay shellfish bed closures to date, visit www.skagitcounty.net/cleanwater.
For more information, contact Emma Whitfield at emmaw@co.skagit.wa.us or at (360) 419-7667.