They’ve disappeared. I don’t know if it’s from overfishing or just changes in the river.”

Ronald Savaria, Westport Shellfish Advisory Committee

If you go from three to two this year, fine. Next year, we’re not going to make enough money for the boat, expenses, the license, everything.”

Shellfisherman Jack Skammels

Are oyster beds disappearing from the Westport River? It depends on who you talk to.

Members of the select board delayed action Monday evening on a request from the town’s shellfish advisory committee to reduce the allowed daily number of baskets taken by commercial shellfishermen from three to two. They want time to hear from more of them before deciding whether to reduce the catch limit.

Whether it’s needed is the question. Though marine services director and advisory committee chair Chris Leonard was out of town Monday, fellow committee member Ronald Savaria told select board members that the beds are indeed disappearing and the time has come to reduce the allowable catch.

“At one point, there were quite a few oyster beds south of Hix Bridge,” he said. “They’ve disappeared. I don’t know if it’s from overfishing or just changes in the river.”

“Last year you got your limit in two and a half, three hours. This year, it’s taking about five hours. So it seems to be getting depleted. Once it’s gone, it’s gone.”

That’s not true, shellfisherman Jack Skammels said.

Skammels has been oystering in the river for at least 40 years, and knows the bottom there well. Fishing has been good the last two seasons, he said, and a large bed south of the bridge actually came into its own over the past year, with oysters growing to a good market size.

“This year it’s even better. At least 60 percent of the oysters we get in one rake are market size. I don’t believe the biomass is being affected by the amount of fishing that’s going on. There are other oyster beds south of the bridge that I don’t think are in danger of being depleted either.”

Dropping the catch limit now would be a double whammy for fishermen, he said. Apart from reducing the allowed catch by 33 percent, he said, the baskets won’t be worth as much next year anyway.

“If they’re of size now, next year they’re going to be bigger. The bigger they are, the less amount of oysters in the basket. If you go from three to two this year, fine. Next year, we’re not going to make enough money for the boat, expenses, the license, everything.”

Skammels recommended that select board members wait until after the advisory committee’s next meeting to decide on the recommendation, so shellfishermen can speak and give their perspective on what’s happening in the river, and board members agreed to hold off on a vote for now.