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<p class="MsoNormal">Hello. The following is a set of answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) regarding some recent shellfish changes announced by RIDEM. The FAQs can also be found in the attached PDF document, and are also posted on our website at the
following link:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/benviron/water/shellfsh/pdf/areafaq0517.pdf">http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/benviron/water/shellfsh/pdf/areafaq0517.pdf</a></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Thank you<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Answers to Frequently Asked Questions on the
</span></b><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt">“May 2017 Notice of Polluted Shellfishing Grounds”<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt"></span></b><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Did RIDEM announce that new areas of the bay have been opened to shellfishing for the first time in 70 years?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">No, but what we did announce was that
<b><u>Conditional Area “B”</u></b> of the Upper Narragansett Bay Growing Area 1 will no longer
<u>routinely</u> close due to rainfall. This area was previously classified as Conditionally Approved and routinely closed for seven days following a 1.5” rain event. As of May 27, 2017 this area was reclassified as
</span><u><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Approved</span></u><span style="font-size:12.0pt"> removing the conditional restrictions on harvest that have been in place for 70 years.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Did RIDEM lift all restrictions in Greenwich Bay? What about the December Monday-Wednesday-Friday restrictions?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">No, the only restriction that RIDEM Office of Water Resources lifted was the
<b><u>December Seasonal closure</u></b> of the western portion of Greenwich Bay. Greenwich Bay will continue to operate as conditionally approved, closed for seven days after a 0.5” or greater precipitation event.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">All existing Prohibited and Conditional waters remain in effect.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">RIDEM’s Division of Fish and Wildlife harvest management restrictions remain in effect.
</span><span class="MsoHyperlink"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Did the Providence River open to shellfishing?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><u><span style="font-size:18.0pt">NO
<o:p></o:p></span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">What happened to the Conimicut Triangle Conditional Area?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">It was merged with Conditional Area “A” and will close with “A”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">RIDEM’s Division of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) still maintains harvest management restrictions for shellfish grounds. Management rules for Conimicut Point, as well as other DFW Shellfish Management Areas,
can be found in Section 4.12 of the RI Marine Fisheries Regulations Part 4 – Shellfish at:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-left:.5in;text-align:center"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-left:.5in;text-align:center"><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/pubs/regs/regs/fishwild/rimf4.pdf"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">4.12 Shellfish Management Areas</span></a><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;text-indent:.5in"><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">To hear a recorded message announcing conditional area status and any emergency closures call the Shellfish Hotline at<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt">401-222-2900<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<o:p></o:p></p>
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