Official State of Rhode Island website

State of Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management

Shellfish & Aquaculture Resources

 

SHELLFISHING RESOURCES

 

AQUACULTURE RESOURCES

The Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) is the lead aquaculture permitting agency in the state. Please refer to the CRMC Aquaculture website for detailed information on the lease application process and status of active applications.

 

VIBRIO RISK MANAGEMENT

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a bacterium found in saltwater that can cause gastrointestinal illness in humans; Vibrio can be ingested by eating raw seafood, most commonly oysters, from water containing the bacteria. The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management coordinates with the Department of Health (DOH) and CRMC to ensure that commercially harvested and aquaculture-produced shellfish are safe for human consumption by implementing a Vibrio parahaemolyticus control plan (VpCP) as required by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration through the National Shellfish Sanitation Program (a federal/state cooperative program).

The incidence of Vibrio is higher in warmer waters and therefore poses a greater threat during the warmer summer months. The DEM and DOH have regulations in place for both harvesters and dealers to mitigate Vibrio related illness. Please refer to the regulations below for detailed harvest and handling procedures required by the state:

If any of the above links fail, please refer to the Secretary of State website to search for the regulations within the final rules and regulations database.

juvenile quahogs