Sewage discharge closes Charlottetown shellfishery

The shellfishery in a large section of Charlottetown Harbour along with areasof the Hillsborough and North Rivershavebeen closed by Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

Harvesting, relay and depuration are not permitted in these areas.

An announcement from DFO says the closure is due to the discharge of partially treated and undisinfected waste water, part of planned maintenance by the Town of Stratford at its sewage treatment plant.

Jeremy Crosby, Stratford's director of infrastructure, told CBC News in anemail that town staff, under direction of representatives from Blue Frog the town's water circulation system that was installed last summer have relocated equipment and removed sludge from a part of the lagoon system.

He says this was done to help with the treatment process and to suppress odours coming from the plant.

Scheduled maintenance is not uncommon with any waste-water treatment facility and is completed with the permission of the province, says Crosby.