‘Unusual’ leak responsible for Basin closure

The reopening affects Thornes Cove, near Port Wade, after tests showed bacteria had returned to safe levels in that area, said Department of Fisheries and Oceans spokesman Richard Young.

Similar tests of water in Smith’s Cove and Deep Brook areas were not as satisfactory, he said.

Ken Grandy of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency said federal researchers were still trying to determine how much untreated sewage flowed into the Basin, but he disputed clam diggers’ views that such events are nothing exceptional.

The Digby leak was unusual, said Grandy, and under the current model with which his department operates, it called for closure of the entire Basin for a minimum seven-day temporary closure to allow time for environmental assessment and for the CFIA to sample clams from Basin beds

“It’s important for food safety and that the food marketplaces remain open,” he said.

Combination of factors blamed

The May 17 sewage spill in Digby was apparently caused by a combination of factors, said town clerk Tom Ossinger. A major petroleum spill destroyed much of the bacteria used to treat sewage, and a heavy rain caused an overflow.

Closure of the Basin affected 265 licensed harvesters and came at the start of their busy season when orders are coming in.

Upset at what they considered too broad a closure, about 75 clam diggers stood in light rain for two hours Thursday outside a meeting in Cornwallis where federal officials were explaining the closure to leaders of the newly formed Clam Harvesting Area 2 Clammers Association, which represents harvesters in Digby, Annapolis and Kings counties.

The federal officials were from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Environment Canada and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and were surprisingly senior personnel, according to a meeting observer.

Optimism for quick return

DFO manager Gus van Helvoort said following the closed meeting that the Basin might be reopened to harvesting in “a few days” and was optimistic that tests would show no major harm from the spill.

His optimism didn’t answer demands of clam diggers for a fixed date for the reopening, nor did it fully explain why the whole Basin was closed for a local spill.

“We have no money. It’s not our fault there’s sewage in the Basin,” said clam digger Del Anderson, and association executive member Sharon Smith said clam diggers may look for compensation from Digby to cover lost earnings.

A second meeting about the closure, but open to the public, was scheduled for Wednesday, May 28, at 6:30 p.m. in the Paul Lafleche Building at Cornwallis Park. Senior government officials were to be available to answer questions about the closure.

The shellfish closure involved include clams, mussels, scallops, quahogs, whelks and oysters, but scallops are fished only briefly in January, according to Reg Hazelton of the Full Bay Scallop Association.