Why South Carolina’s shellfish harvesting season has been delayed

Tropical Storm Irma may be gone now, but it’s still managing to affect the waters off South Carolina’s coast.

Recreational harvesting of shellfish on coastal water has been delayed two weeks due to water quality impacts from Irma, a press release from the S.C. Department of Natural Resources said Monday.

Those water quality impacts include multiple sanitary sewer overflows in Charleston and Beaufort counties, according to the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control.

DNR spokesperson Erin Weeks said the delay was put in place to give a “safe cushion” for shellfish harvesters and consumers.

“Storms like Tropical Storm Irma cause runoff from the land that sometimes includes things that can be dangerous to human health,” Weeks said. “Oysters are filter feeders, so if there are dangerous things in the water, they could also be in the oysters.”

This year’s harvest season for clams, oysters, mussels and other shellfish will open Oct. 15 and close May 15, unless conditions warrant extending or shortening the season, the press release said .

When the season opens Oct. 15, “it will be important for harvesters to check with the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control to verify whether any closures remain in effect,” the press release said.

Information on shellfish bed closures is available at 1-800-285-1618 and can be viewed on an interactive map at the DHEC website.

Recreational harvesters must have a Saltwater Recreational Fishing License. The recreation limit is two bushels of oysters and one-half bushel of clams in a day, limited two calendar days per seven-day period, the press release said.

This story was originally published September 25, 2017 at 3:48 PM with the headline "Why South Carolina’s shellfish harvesting season has been delayed."