The Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries has given the green light for clamming beginning at sunrise on July 21 at working beds on Cape Ann. A bloom of the red tide algae caused the closure of clam beds along the northeastern US coastline in May.

Cape Ann restaurants are expected to be frying and steaming locally harvested clams shortly, and clam prices should begin falling quickly as soon as local clams become available again in usual quantities.

Information on Red Tide can be found at the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries website located at http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dmf/index.html.