FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Aug. 20, 2008
Charleston County shellfish areas reopened
COLUMBIA - Maricultured shellfish growing areas 8 and 9A in Charleston County, which were closed last week, have been reopened, the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control announced today.
“The areas have been reopened to private mariculture operations only because water quality sampling indicates bacteria levels are now safe for shellfish harvesting,” said Mike Pearson, manager of DHEC’s Shellfish Sanitation Program. All wild harvest of shellfish will remain closed until SCDNR opens the 2008-09 season in September.
For information on other Charleston County shellfish areas, call DHEC’s Region 7 Environmental Quality Control office at (843) 953-0160. For information on shellfish beds in Horry and Georgetown counties, call DHEC’s Region 6 EQC office at (843) 238-4378. For information on shellfish beds in the Beaufort area, call DHEC’s Region 8 EQC office at (843) 846-1030.
-###-
For more information:
Thom Berry - (803) 898-3885
E-mail - berrytw@dhec.sc.gov
JBNR0808