Coastal Rivers and oyster growers work together on river clean-up

Coastal Rivers staff and volunteers, along with folks from the Darling Marine Center, Maine Sea Grant, Mook Sea Farm, Glidden Point Oyster Farms, Muscongus Bay Aquaculture/Dodge Cove, Johns River Oyster Farm, Pemaquid Oyster Company, Blackstone Point Oyster Farm, Norumbega Oyster, Inc, and Pleasant Cove took to the water on October 13 to pick up trash from the banks of the Damariscotta River.

This annual effort stems from a partnership that began between oyster growers and Damariscotta River Association (which along with Pemaquid Watershed Association later became Coastal Rivers).

Armed with rolls of bright orange trash bags, a flotilla of oyster boats set off from the town landing at noon, with each boat assigned to patrol a section of the river. Picker-uppers retrieved lengths of nylon rope, big hunks and little bits of blue polystyrene foam, escaped oyster farming gear, bottles and cans, a cast-off appliance or two, and lots of other odds and ends.

All in all, 1,840 pounds of junk was recovered and brought back to the landing where it was loaded into Coastal Rivers trucks and hauled off to the transfer station. A very gratifying day’s work!