People living at Old Mill have a lot to like.
They’re surrounded by the sights and sounds of nature: a small, fun beach. Funky Compo Cove. The magnificent Sherwood Mill Pond.
There’s always something to see, smell and hear, 24/7/365.
For a couple of years though, there’s something they haven’t liked.
Starting at dusk, and continuing well past 11 p.m. — sometimes as late as 2 a.m. — up to 2 dozen people have taken over the pond and the sluice that feeds it.
Men, women and children at the Sherwood Mill Pond, late night.
They hunt for crabs. To help see in the dark, they wear LED head lamps.
When they turn toward the nearby homes, their lights shine into bedrooms.
“It’s like a car headlight flashing into the house,” says Matt Murray.
LED lights from crabbers shine in nearby residents’ bedrooms. Hummock Island is in the distance.
This year, he says, crabbing began in June. Based on past years, it will continue into October.
He’s not the only concerned resident. Jann Colabella initially contacted “06880” about the ongoing activity.
In addition to the invasiveness of the LED lamps, Murray worries about over-fishing.
He notes that the crabbing is legal. The only restrictions are on size (taking small crabs are prohibited). Permits are not required.
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, and Bureau of Aquaculture, oversee the activity.
“They always say to call. But at 11 p.m., I don’t see reps from those agencies running down here,” Murray says.
Crabbing at the Mill Pond in 2022 …
He adds that in that past, Westport’s Police Department Marine Division have set up inspections. “It appears the crabbers have limited IDs and documents,” he says.
Murray notes one solution: changing the parking regulations at Old Mill to 11 p.m. That would allow police to ticket vehicles without a Westport beach sticker. (Many of the cars have New York license plates.)
Currently, they’re required from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. only.
Meanwhile, the crabbing continues.
And all along Old Mill, LED head lamps continue to shine in bedroom windows.
… and 2020. (Photos/Matt Murray)
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