Healthy Environment

Beaches

Indoor Air Quality

Lead

Mold

Mosquito Borne Diseases

Rabies

Radon

Shellfish

Tick Borne Diseases

Shellfish

Shellfish Beds

The waters of Long Island and Fishers Island Sounds provide access to some of the best shellfishing grounds on the Connecticut coast. Ledge Light Health District, in cooperation with our member municipalities’ shellfish commissions and the State of Connecticut Department of Aquaculture, works to assure that the recreational and commercial shellfishing areas remain open and sanitary.

District Sanitarian responsibilities include:

• Assisting in the collection water samples to assure compliance with State and FDA guidelines.
• Opening and closing shellfish beds as needed (in case of heavy rainfall, sewage spills, high bacteria counts).
• Conducting periodic shoreline surveys to investigate complaints of possible point source pollution (point source pollutants are those that flow directly, usually out of a pipe or specified trench/ditch, into a surface water source).
• Monitoring rainfall data.
• Notifying associated agencies of shellfish area openings/closings.
• Issuing press releases regarding the closure or reopening of shellfish beds.

The District is a member of the Groton Shellfish Task Force. The aim of the Task Force is to identify and mitigate pollution sources that may contribute to elevated bacteria levels in the Poquonnock River.