ChuckA

I was looking for Regulations on shellfishing when I found this .Feel free to add to this post. http://www.ct.gov/doag/cwp/view.asp?a=1369&q=259174 . A very good friend of mine sent me this link .Its 2006 shellfish regulations for Connecticut.So far there the same this year.Anyone interested in a license. Tounament Force Tackle In Guilford, Ct. will be selling them along with the person who sent this link. Pm me for that info.http://www.seagrant.uconn.edu/shlfsh.pdf if the page opens facing the wrong way there's a flip page on the top right side I'll try to find an address or link for the tackle shop.

Bryan A.

Quit a few, never realized that.

__________________
And the sea will grant each man new hope..............Christopher Columbus



2003 Parker 2530 "DORYMATE".......click the pic
1973 Seacraft 20SF
1970 Glastron V153

70hp Evinrude**FOR SALE**

Scup

I had a long on and off again affair with commercial clamming in Stonington. A local restaurant wanted fresh hard shell clams, but only about a 1/2 bushel per day. I had to drive right by the restaurant on my way to work. Since it would only take about hour to catch a 1/2 bushel, and they would pay $25 per 1/2 bushel, or about $50 in today's money, I decided why not. I applied for a commercial clam license which I was told was free. The type of license I needed was a shippers license. These are the problems that happened to me:

1. The shell fish inspector from Hartford inspected my home. Did not like the idea I did not have a separate refrigerator for the clams. I figured one could always use two refrigerators so I purchased a second refrigerator.
2. The inspector did not like my 14 rowboat because it did not have floor boards. I had to add floorboards to the rowboat.
3. Then he did not like the fact I did not own a refrigerated truck. I finally convinced him that I was only selling a half bushel of a clams at a time and I would keep them in Igloo cooler. He settled for that so I did not have to buy a refrigerated truck.
4. Then he required a perforated tag with wire ties on it be attached to each bunch of clams I sell. Each side of the tag has to be filled out as to where and when and by whom the clams were caught. I had to go to printing office to have a box of these tags produced. When I sold any clams I would keep one side of the tag and the buyer would keep the other side of the tag with the clams.
5. Went to Wikcox and purchased the netting for packaging the clams.
6. After all of this, I noticed that many super markets tended to never tossed out clams that may be of questionable quality. I would tap on the shell with a quarter, right through the plastic wrappings, and the clams would not close; they were dead. It occurred to me that all clams have bacteria in them, even fresh caught ones from approved waters. They will not cause anyone to have a problem but if stored for weeks on end, any clam will eventually reach the point where it will get you really sick. I thought I had better get insurance just to be safe. I forgot about getting insurance when I found out what they wanted for premiums.
7. The town of Stonington then claimed that since I took the clams from recreational beds, I could not sell them. I maintained since they were my clams and I had a shippers license I could do what ever I wanted with them including flushing then down the drain. The Stonington town lawyer agreed with me. I got over that hurdle.
8. Saw a lawyer to find out the likelihood of getting sued if I followed all of the regulations but some idiot did not store the clams properly or for too long and the sack of clams had my name on it. My lawyer told me I worry too much!
9. The restaurant folded.
10. The best price I could then get for the clams was $ 12 per half bushel.
11. Enough is enough; I threw the towel in.

Today, there is even more paperwork involved if one wants to get into this business. I would strongly recommend if anyone likes eating hard shell clams, catch your own. The town of Stonington monitors three sites and issues a license that is good for the entire year. I find it fun to catch clams, and have never gotten sick from clams that I have caught. Cannot say the same for clams I have ordered in restaurants. I ordered a half dozen clams on the half shell in a famous Newport restaurant, gave one clam to a friend who wanted to try it, and we both came close to going to the ER that evening. My friend remained sick for two days, while I slept with the waste paper basket next to my bed. I love fresh raw clams, but will never again ever eat them unless I caught them myself; should you ever get sick from eating bad clams you will know why I have this attitude. One last item, if you decide to do it yourself, stay away from those lousy imported clam rakes. They are not that cheap either. Spend more, but go to Wilcox and get yourself a decent stainless rake. It is very unlikely that you will only make one trip, once you taste what really fresh clams are all about. Having that seasonal clam permit urging you to go again and again, makes it almost impossible not to go clamming several times a year. The permits are really dirt cheap, and if you are a senior citizen in Stonington they waive the fee. Even if you had to pay for the permit, you should be way ahead even if you just go out just once. Fresh clams are very expensive because of all the regulations mentioned above. Catching them yourself is cheap, fun, and you will get a good workout.