RIDEM Launches Shellfish Program Webpages

This is just a note to let you all know that RIDEM Office of Water Resources’ Shellfish Program has gone live with a new and improved website: RIDEM Office of Water Resources Shellfish Program (If you happen to go to our old page remember to refresh your browser and clear your cache to load the new page)

The new webpages contain a wealth of information about our program along with links to various other programs and agencies that interconnect with our state’s shellfish program.  We listened to our local recreational and commercial shell fishermen and incorporated the comments we heard into these new pages.

Now available on line from our web site is an interactive mapping application of the classified shellfish waters of the state, Interactive Shellfish Map.  Directly from this map you can connect to the individual growing area descriptions and the presiding shoreline survey of the area.  There are numerous query options to search the map, such as area name, classification type or street address to name a few.  Printed maps can also be generated directly from this application to a scale suited to the individual’s interest.  It should be noted that these maps are to be used as a reference tool only.  The legal description of the area’s classification is contained in the document, “Notice of Polluted Shellfishing Grounds”. 

In addition to the new web pages we now have established an email account that goes directly to the shellfish program staff.  Please contact us directly at our new address:  dem.shellfish@dem.ri.gov  to let us know of missing or damaged closure signs, requests for data or documents, or questions related to any of the topics overseen by Office of Water Resources’ shellfish program.

We are continuing to work on the Harvester Education component – so that webpage is under construction but is scheduled to go live in early fall of 2015.

Now if we could only get spring to arrive so we can get back out there harvesting!