The town will seek compensation for cleanup costs associated with the remaining bait fish that washed ashore earlier this month.

Clean Harbors, a Massachusetts-based environmental cleanup company, was hired by the town to use a special vacuum to remove pogies from Barnes Landing to Simpson Point Thursday and Friday.

The per-hour cost was $300. Coupled with other expenses, the total cost could be up to $4,000, said Town Manager John Eldridge.

A volunteer effort cleared away most of the bait fish that washed up in the marsh grass, and Eldridge said the tide helped to clear away some fish from the shore.

Eldridge said the town will explore options for possible reimbursement from the fisherman who released the pogies.

On June 6, several fishing vessels located east of Scragg Island were catching pogies by purse seining, a fishing method that uses a net to encircle a school of fish, and then is pulled tight from the bottom.

Department of Marine Resources spokesman Jeff Nichols said he was told by marine patrol a fisherman was unable to haul the entire catch aboard the boat. He said he is not sure if the catch was too heavy, or there was not enough room in the hold, but some of the catch had to be released from the net.

The dead fish washed ashore by the thousands, creating a stench that plagued coastal residents.

Town Marine Warden and Harbormaster Dan Devereaux said the incident was an accident, and the fisherman did not violate any laws because the fish were released outside of the intertidal area of Maquoit and Middle Bay.

Nichols confirmed no laws were violated.

The name of the fisherman involved in the accident has not been released by the Department of Marine Resources. Eldridge said the town is aware of the identity of the fisherman.

According to Nichols, under state law, there is no statutory requirement for a harvester to have liability insurance, as was discussed at a town council meeting last week.

Pogie is commonly used as bait in commercial fishing.