Recreational shellfish season delayed two weeks due to Irma

This fall’s recreational shellfish season (clams, oysters, mussels and other bivalves) will begin two weeks late thanks to Tropical Storm Irma. That’s the word from the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control this morning. The 2017-2018 season will now open on Oct. 15.

According to DHEC director of media relations Tim Kelly, the rain and the surge from Irma caused multiple sanitary sewer overflows around Charleston and Beaufort.

And we all know what that means — poop.

To avoid a fecal-flavored bivalve season, DHEC is taking the necessary precautions and instituting a required 21-day minimum closure based on the time when the sewer overflow is stopped. That’ll give the water time to refresh and the filter feeders time to flush.

For more details on recreational shellfish season, visit scdhec.gov.

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