Welcome to Skagit County
November 23rd, 2011
Samish Bay closed
to shellfish harvest due to presumed high fecal coliform bacteria counts
SKAGIT COUNTY – The Washington State Department of Health has temporarily closed Samish Bay for commercial and recreational shellfish harvest due to the 200 cubic feet per second rise in the river level and anticipated fecal coliform bacteria levels. The State Department of Health has specific water quality criteria for Samish Bay to ensure harvested shellfish are safe to eat. Based on historic water quality monitoring, the recent rain event is expected to result in fecal coliform bacteria exceeding these criteria. The bay will remain closed to shellfish harvest until sampling verifies the pollution from the rain event has abated.
When the bay is closed,
shellfish farms can’t harvest crops and it is unsafe to consume shellfish
recreationally harvested from the bay during the closure. Throughout the closure,
however, local shellfish farms may have shellfish for sale that have been harvested
prior to the closure or brought in from growing areas elsewhere in the state;
these shellfish are safe to eat.
The major sources of polluting bacteria in the Samish River watershed are:
- Residential and business onsite septic systems
- Various small and commercial farming operations with livestock
- Farming operations that spread animal manure as fertilizer
- Human recreational activities including boating, hunting, fishing, and hiking
- Marine live-aboard boats
- Waterfowl attracted to fields planted in grain
- Mishandled pet waste
All of these sources, if
managed properly, need not pose a threat to water quality.
For more information on clean water efforts in the Samish Watershed, current
status of the bay (open or closed for harvest), a calendar of Samish bay shellfish
bed closures to date, or to report a water quality problem, visit www.skagitcounty.net/cleanwater.
For more information, contact Emma Whitfield at emmaw@co.skagit.wa.us
or at (360) 419-7667.