Onset Bay has been reopened to shellfishing as of Monday, July 14, according to the Wareham Harbormaster Department.

Onset Bay had been closed to shellfishing since a sewage spill on Monday, June 23. Officials said at that time between 2,000 and 3,000 gallons of waste was released from a sewer manhole cover on Independence Lane in Onset and entered the bay from an adjacent storm drain. Beaches were closed to swimmers for two days as a result of the spill.

Harbormaster Garry Buckminster said there was a mandatory 21 day ban on shellfishing in the bay per U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulations.

All shellfishing areas in Wareham and Buzzards Bay were also closed on July 4 due to heavy rainfall that weekend. Those areas have all been reopened in the past week by the Harbormaster Department and the state Division of Marine Fisheries.

Anyone shellfishing in a rainfall management areas (Millers Cove, Sunset Cove, and Broad Cove) should call (508) 291-3100 ext. 3184 for the status of the area prior to going out.

For any further questions, contact the Harbormaster office at (508) 291-3100 ext. 3186 or (508) 295-8160.