Outdoors in RI: Shellfishing areas closed, So. RI Conservation, Preserve Sporting Shoppe, 2A

Heavy Rain Closes Shellfishing Areas in Narragansett Bay & Salt Ponds

The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) is announcing that several shellfish areas in Narragansett Bay and the coastal salt ponds are closed due to excessive rain received yesterday. 

Upper Narragansett Bay Area A, Upper Narragansett Bay Area B, and Lower Providence River Area E are closed to shellfishing and are scheduled to reopen at sunrise on Dec. 22. In addition, Greenwich Bay, Mount Hope Bay, the Kickemuit River, the West Middle Bay shellfish area (GA9) and the East Middle Bay shellfish area (GA3) are closed to shellfishing until sunrise on Dec. 19. 

This emergency closure includes waters of Narragansett Bay north of a line running from Quonset Point in North Kingstown to the northern tip of Conanicut Island (Jamestown) to the southern tip of Prudence Island to Carr Point in Portsmouth. Additionally, the waters of coastal salt ponds (Pt. Judith Pond (area 10PJ), Potter Pond (area 10PP), Ninigret Pond (area 11N), Quonochontaug Pond (area 11Q), and Winnapaug Pond (area 11W) will be closed to shellfish harvest until noon on Dec. 19. 

Yesterday’s heavy rain dropped 4.2” of rain at the TF Green monitoring station and 3.7” of rain in Westerly, with more localized totals of 4 to 5 inches in less than 24 hours reported throughout RI. This excessive rainfall caused heavy stormwater runoff and caused several combined sewer overflows (CSO) discharges. This runoff can convey bacterial contaminants to Narragansett Bay and the salt ponds, prompting this shellfish closure. Previous water quality observations indicate that the bacteria levels will return to normal, safe background levels in the above-mentioned timeframes. DEM will confirm these background levels with sampling early next week. 

DEM, the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH), and the RI Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC), along with industry partners, collaborate to ensure that shellfish grown and harvested from Rhode Island waters continues to be a quality safe seafood product to be enjoyed by all consumers. This monitoring enables a quick response when conditions indicate a change in water quality due to natural events such as algae bloomsor unusual weather events.

For more information on the shellfish harvesting classifications, review the annual notice available at www.dem.ri.gov/shellfish. An interactive shellfishing map is also available.

For information on emergency and conditional area water quality related shellfish closures, call DEM’s 24-hour shell fishing hotline at 401-222-2900 or sign up for DEM’s Office of Water Resources’ listserv here: [email protected].

___

Southern RI Conservation District

The Southern Rhode Island Conservation District (SRICD) was recently awarded a $60,000 Urban and Community Conservation (UAC) Grant from the National Association of Conservation Districts.
As part of the “Building Food Security & Community Resiliency in Southern Rhode Island” project, grant funds will be used to increase food security and community resiliency by recruiting a diverse group of conservationists to provide technical assistance, planning and coaching to new and existing farmers and fishers to help them manage their farms, forest, woodlots and urban gardens, and deliver their products to the community.

The grant also provides funding to purchase equipment for the retail sale of farm products and other resources to help promote those products. It also allows the SRICD to provide in-kind technical resources to municipalities as part of the Municipal Resiliency Program.

Specifically, SRICD’s staff will assist clients with all aspects of their food business from finding land, to converting farm products to consumables for the community by testing, creating and tasting recipes at the conservation district’s Fresh Harvest Kitchen in Westerly. The district staff will also provide clients with personalized one-on-one assistance with navigating the state and federal programs, and their providers.

“We are thrilled that we have been awarded NACD’s Urban Ag grant to continue the work we started in 2019 with help of an NACD grant” said Gina Fuller, SRICD District Manager.

“SRICD started both our urban agriculture and municipal assistance programs here in Westerly and have since expanded our efforts to other towns and projects like the Resilient Riverfront Renewal project and the Fresh Harvest Kitchen. The NACD grant will help us expand our footprint, add to our staff and better serve our clients and the community. We look forward to helping the community and supporting our local farmers and food system in 2025 and beyond.”

The Southern Rhode Island Conservation District (SRICD) promotes and achieves a healthy environment and sustainable use of natural resources for the people of Kent and Washington Counties and the State of Rhode Island, now and for the future, by coordinating partners to provide technical, educational and financial resources.

___

The Preserve Sporting Club & Resort’s Sporting Shoppe expands

The Preserve will be debuting the recent expansion and renovation of the property’s Sporting Shoppe on Monday, December 16th at noon with a ribbon cutting. They will be adding 30,000 square feet to the existing space – the expansion aims to enhance the shopping experience for guests, members and locals alike, featuring a wider selection of outdoor gear, lifestyle apparel, and authentic specialty goods. The updated facility will include experiential interactive displays and improved amenities, making the Shoppe a destination for outdoor enthusiasts and their families. The expansion reflects the property’s commitment to providing top-notch experiences and services for its guests and local shoppers. The Preserve is located at 1 Preserve Boulevard, in Richmond, RI.

___

Second Amendment

Congressman Gabe Amo (RI-01) will hosting a press conference TODAY. Amo says he will “announce new legislation to combat the gun violence epidemic in our nation”. The Responsible Retirement of Law Enforcement Firearms Act bill “would ensure that former law enforcement service weapons are not sold or transferred to unscrupulous firearms dealers and then used to commit crimes”.

Congressman Jamie Raskin (MD-08) is a co-lead of the bill. The legislation has been endorsed by the Rhode Island Coalition Against Gun Violence, Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association, Rhode Island International Brotherhood of Police Officers, Nonviolence Institute, Brady: United Against Gun Violence, Giffords, Everytown for Gun Safety, March for Our Lives, Guns Down America, and Newtown Action Alliance.

In Rhode Island supporters are: Congressman Gabe Amo, Melissa Carden, RI Coalition Against Gun Violence, Chief Sid Wordell (ret.), RI Police Chiefs Association, Lisa Pina-Warren, Nonviolence Institute, John Rossi, RI International Brotherhood of Police Officers, Tony Morettini, Moms Demand Action RI.

The event will be held at the Nonviolence Institute, 265 Oxford Street, in Providence

___