Many oyster, clam beds closed in Beaufort after sewage spill on Parris Island (update: reopen)

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Update December 31, reopen: After three weeks of closure the oyster beds and clam harvesting areas are reopen.

"These areas have been reopened because water quality and tissue sampling results indicate bacteria levels are suitable for clam and oyster harvesting," said Mike Pearson, manager of DHEC's Shellfish Sanitation program.

For more information on clam and oyster harvesting areas in Beaufort County, call DHEC's Region 8 Environmental Quality Control office at (843) 846-1030. For information on Georgetown and Horry counties' clam and oyster harvesting areas, call DHEC's Region 6 EQC office at (843) 238-4378. For more information on Charleston County clam and oyster harvesting areas, call DHEC's Region 7 EQC office at (843) 953-0160.

First reporting December 10: The
S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control is closing numerous clam and oyster harvesting areas in the Beaufort area after a spill of some 90,000 gallons of raw sewage on the Marine Corp Recruit Depot at Parris Island.

"The closure includes the western shore of Parris Island from
Archers Creek to Port Royal Sound," said Mike Pearson, manager of DHEC's
shellfish sanitation program. "We've also closed the harvesting areas
of the Beaufort River and all its tributaries including Battery Creek,
Chowan Creek, Wallace Creek, Distant Island Creek and Station Creek to
the tidal node."

According to Pearson, the areas will remain closed for 21 days.

For more information on clam and oyster harvesting areas in Beaufort
County, call DHEC's Region 8 Environmental Quality Control office at
(843) 846-1030.

You can read yesterday's report on the sewage spill here.

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