Part of Miles River Re-opened to Shellfishing

Authorities say a portion of Maryland's Miles River has been reopened to shellfish harvesting.

The Maryland Department of the Environment said Tuesday that the section was reopened after recent testing found lower levels of bacteria in the main stem of the Eastern Shore river. The section stretches from Hayward Cove to the Route 370 bridge. It had been closed since 2004.

Two tributaries, Hunting Creek and Oak Creek, have also been reopened to shellfish harvesting. Hunting Creek closed in 1999 and Oak Creek closed in 2008.

Runoff in the area was the apparent cause of bacteria in the river. Oysters and clams can concentrate potentially harmful viruses or bacteria when in polluted waters.

from WTOP. com