LIpolitics.com : Long Island\'s Political Network

Chris J. Coschignano

Because of the potential for contamination of shellfish from boaters, a temporary shellfish closure will be conducted in the West Harbor section of Oyster Bay Harbor over the Labor Day holiday weekend, commencing at sunrise Saturday, September 3, and reopening at sunrise on Friday, September 9, according to Oyster Bay Town Councilman Chris J. Coschignano.

“Based on the results of a study, the State Department of Environmental Control (DEC) developed a management strategy for the temporary closure to shellfishing of popular transient anchoring areas,” Councilman Coschignano stated. “The study showed that during times of heavy boating use, the potential for contamination of shellfish from sewage discharges was greatly increased. West Harbor is one of several locations on Long Island where the DEC implements this strategy over certain holiday periods when an extra high volume of boat traffic is expected.”

Councilman Coschignano noted that the first time the DEC designated West Harbor as temporarily uncertified for shellfishing was over the 1995 Labor Day weekend. She said the DEC indicated that many people live on their boats during the holiday weekends and use their onboard marine sanitation devices, so the possibility of sewage discharges from boats increases.

“While the closure of a part of West Harbor may inconvenience shellfishers, it is temporary,” the Councilman stated. “The DEC is acting in the best interests of the public’s health, which is always a priority.”

The affected area includes all waters of West Harbor, including tributaries, lying east of a line extending northerly from the northwestern-most point of land approximately 600 yards north of Brickyard Point on Centre Island to the western-most point of the beach pavilion at Centre Island Beach on the south side of Bayville Avenue/Centre Island Road and lying west of Centre Island.

Councilman Coschignano urged boaters to make use of the Town’s three pumpout stations during the boating season. “The Town’s free-of-charge pumpout facilities include stationary pumpouts at Theodore Roosevelt Marina in Oyster Bay, Harry Tappen Marina in Glenwood Landing and Tobay Boat Basin on the south shore, and floating pumpouts near the former Jacobsen’s Shipyard and Oyster Bay Marine Supply in Oyster Bay Harbor. In addition, the Town has two pumpout boats, one in Oyster Bay Harbor and one on the south shore, which can be reached by calling VHF Channel 9.

“Pumpout facilities are the only environmentally acceptable means of waste disposal for boaters,” Councilman Coschignano stated. “Our coastal waters are an important natural resource that must be protected, and my Town Board colleagues and I have gone to great lengths to make pumpout facilities readily available. I urge all boaters to make use of them.”

The Councilman noted that a taped message advising the public of any shellfishing areas in New York State that are closed is accessible 24 hours a day by calling 1-631-444-0480. The taped message will also advise harvesters when such areas have re-opened. Written descriptions and color-coded maps of the temporary shellfish closure areas can be found on the DEC Web site.