MAINE PUBLIC • August 5, 2024
Shellfish harvesting has been shut down for 7,500 acres of Southern Maine’s coast after this weekend’s rainfall for fear of fecal contamination. The closure extends from Freeport to Harpswell and affects commercial and recreational fishermen. Maine’s Department of Marine Resources issued the order on Sunday as a precautionary measure. Bryant Lewis, a scientist for Maine DMR, said heavy storm runoff picks up feces from wildlife on land and washes them into parts of the ocean where shellfish feed. The closure lasts until the department lifts the order, which Lewis said should be in three or four days