DEM
offers classes for $5 registration
The
Department of Environmental Management (DEM) is hosting a series of
recreational clamming workshops this summer.
The workshops, led by DEM's
Aquatic Resource Education (ARE) program, are opportunities for participants to
learn how to dig for clams and the management strategies that have kept Rhode
Island in the clamming industry for so long.
"Clamming
has a rich history in Rhode Island as a beloved family pastime, a staple of
local food traditions, and a significant contributor to the state's commercial
fishing industry," said DEM Director Janet Coit.
The
following public workshops are scheduled:
- Monday, June 17 | 12 PM-3 PM North Kingstown Town Beach, North Kingstown
- Tuesday, July 2 | 12 PM-3 PM Colt State Park, Bristol
- Tuesday, July 30 | 11 AM-2 PM Rocky Point State Park, Warwick
- Thursday, August 1 |1 PM-4 PM Colt State Park, Bristol
- Friday, August 30 | 12 PM-3 PM Rocky Point State Park, Warwick
- Saturday, September 28 | 12 PM-3 PM North Kingstown Town Beach, North Kingstown
The
workshops are perfect for families to spend time together. DEM encourages
people of all ages to participate. Space is limited and registration is
required. Fee is $5 per person for registrants 8 years of age and older.
To
register, fill out the registration form on DEM's website and mail the form,
along with a check made payable to 'ARE Program' to the Division of Fish &
Wildlife, 1B Camp E-Hun-Tee Place, Exeter, RI 02822, Attn: ARE Program.
Participants
will be notified by email of their registration status. For questions or more
information, call the Division of Fish & Wildlife Outdoor Education Office
at 539-0019 or email Kimberly.sullivan@dem.ri.gov.
All
equipment and materials will be provided. DEM's ARE program sponsors the Come
Clam With Me workshops and a host of recreational fishing opportunities for the
public as well as marine science programming for educators.
More
than 22 million quahogs with an off-the-boat value of $4.7 million were
harvested from Narragansett Bay and local coastal waters in 2018. In
recognition of the economic and cultural value of shellfish, Governor Gina M.
Raimondo, along with many partners, launched the Rhode Island Shellfish
Initiative in 2017.
Through
it, state agencies, industry, academia, and community partners collaborate and
compound their efforts to sustainably manage local shellfish stock, promote
economic growth and jobs, and celebrate Rhode Island's unique food cultures.
For
more information on ARE programs and events, visit www.dem.ri.gov/are. Follow
DEM on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RhodeIslandDEM or Twitter (@RhodeIslandDEM)
for timely updates.
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