Clam closure raises frustrations along Northumberland shoreline
Holly Martin can’t understand the reasoning behind the continued clam closure along the Northumberland Strait in Cumberland County.
Martin, who lives in Amherst but loves to dig clams for her own use, was among those who vented their frustration at a lack of action by the federal government during a public meeting at the Northport Community Centre earlier this week.
“There are a lot of people who are really frustrated about this,” said Martin. “A lot of people in the area have grown up digging clams for their own use and for many years they have been told that they can’t dig clams in some locations anymore. I respect the law and the need to stay away from contaminated areas, and not to dig there, but it seems they have the entire area closed because they don’t have enough people to monitor it. We shouldn’t be punished for that.”
Parts of the shoreline from Seagrove to Cameron Beach has been closed since the 1980s because of high fecal coliform counts. There is regular testing by Environment Canada and not all the clamming areas are contaminated. However, they are still closed.
Martin said she doesn’t blame the people enforcing the closure, but thinks the federal government needs to hire more people so those areas eligible to be reopened to clamming are.
“In one area, there is no contamination on the sand bar but they’re worried people will dig clams in the contaminated areas on their way out to the bar or on their way in. They said they don’t have enough people to watch to make sure they don’t so they keep the closure in place,” she said. “If that’s the case, go get some people.”
Last fall, Chris Roberts, the manager of marine quality for Environment Canada said the water is tested at five locations in the Amherst Shore and Lorneville areas and the testing is finding the quality is deteriorating – especially after rain.
He said the results are no different than other locations in the Maritimes where there is a large collection of older cottages, such as the case in the Amherst Shore area.
For this reason, CumberlandColchester MP Bill Casey said he can’t support anything that would reopen the closed areas until it’s determined it’s free of contaminants.