Shellfishing Newsletter

• Annual Temporary Shellfishing Closures
• Properly Pump Out Your Boat
• During Summer Heat, Keep Your Shellfish Cool
• Public Shellfish Mapper
• Recreational Shellfish Harvest Limits

Annual Fourth of July Temporary Shellfishing Area Closures 

Three shellfishing areas on the North Shore of Long Island are temporarily closed to harvest beginning at sunrise on Friday, July 3 through Wednesday, July 8. DEC imposes annual temporary closures during busy holidays to protect public health from potentially contaminated shellfish associated with increased boating activity in shellfishing waters. 

• Town of Oyster Bay: 445 acres in a section of Oyster Bay Harbor (West Harbor)
• Town of Brookhaven: 347 acres in northern Port Jefferson Harbor
• Town of Huntington: 50 acres in the area known as the Sand Hole (Llyod Neck) 

Information and maps showing the affected areas are available on DEC’s website. A recorded message advising the public about temporary closures of any shellfishing areas in New York State is accessible 24 hours a day by calling (631) 444-0480.  

Protect Our Waters – Properly Pump Out Your Boat

Boaters are reminded to use pump-out facilities to help protect New York’s waters. Most of New York's marine waters are designated as no-discharge zones, where the discharge of treated or untreated boat sewage is prohibited. See a full list of New York waterbodies that are designated as no-discharge zones.

When boating, DEC encourages New Yorkers to get outside safely, locally, and responsibly during the State’s response to COVID-19, and to avoid busy waters. Boaters in the above temporary shellfish closure areas should utilize the following pump-out facilities: 

• Oyster Bay Harbor: A pump-out boat is operated by the Town of Oyster Bay at no fee to boaters. Contact the pump-out boat via marine radio VHF channel 9. In addition, the town provides two pump-out stations on floats near the Oyster Bay Marine Center and Waterfront Park and a land-based pump-out in the town marina at Theodore Roosevelt Park. 
• The Sand Hole (Lloyd Neck): Although there are no facilities within the Sand Hole, boaters should contact the Town of Oyster Bay pump-out boat as noted above. There also is a land-based pump-out facility at Powle’s Marine Center in Cold Spring Harbor. In addition, boaters traveling from the Town of Huntington waters can request the services of the Town of Huntington pump-out boat (no fee) by calling on marine radio VHF channel 9. There are also a number of land-based pump-out facilities at marinas in Northport Harbor and Huntington Harbor.
• Port Jefferson Harbor: The Town of Brookhaven operates a pump-out boat (no fee) in Port Jefferson Harbor. The hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays only. Boaters may contact the Town’s pump-out boat via marine radio VHF channel 73. 

During the Summer Heat, Keep Your Shellfish Cool

Clams, oysters and other bivalve shellfish are ‘filter feeders’, which means they feed on plankton strained from the water, and will generally ingest particulate matter and contaminants present in the water.

As temperatures rise, naturally occurring bacteria found in New York’s marine waters can potentially grow to unsafe levels in shellfish. Vibrio, or Vibrio parahaemolyticus (Vp), is a common bacteria that is found in our coastal waters and thrives during warm water conditions and can rapidly increase in shellfish during warm air temperatures.

DEC's Vibrio Control Plan promotes proper postharvest handling of shellfish, especially during the warm weather months between May 1 through October 31 to ensure shellfish are kept cool after harvesting to protect the public health of shellfish consumers.   

To ensure the safety of shellfish for consumers, please follow the guidance below:  

• Keep shaded or out of direct sunlight while harvesting. 
• It’s best to keep your shellfish in a mesh bag attached to a floatation device while collecting. This will keep your shellfish cool in the flowing open water.
• Never keep shellfish in standing water – only keep over ice and make sure to remove melted ice regularly or in a container that is self-draining.
• Once harvested, keep shellfish in a cooler or refrigerator as quickly as possible.   

Visit Shellfish Safety to learn more about safe shellfish consumption and handling. 

Public Shellfish Mapper 

Before going shellfishing, use DEC’s Public Shellfish Mapper for an interactive map of harvest areas in New York.

This map shows regulatory closures, temporary closures, conditional harvesting programs, shellfish harvest zones, aquaculture lease sites, and water sampling stations. When viewing from a mobile device, make sure to have your location services turned on to see your location in relation to harvest areas. 

This map is for reference only, view our official regulations for the legal descriptions of the closures. 

Recreational Shellfish Harvest Limits  

Clams, oysters, mussels, and scallops may only be taken from areas certified as open for the harvest of shellfish. Check with the local town for information on acquiring shellfishing permits in your area. Below is a summary of the recreational shellfish minimum size and daily harvest limits. Visit DEC's website for a complete list and for instructions on how to measure your shellfish:   

• Hard clam: 1 inch across the hinge, 100 clams*
• Soft clam: 1-1/2 inches in length, 1/2 bushel*
• Oyster: 3 inches longest diameter, 1/2 bushel*
• Blue mussel: No size limit, 1/2 bushel*
• Bank mussel: No size limit, 1 bushel
• Bay scallop: 2-1/4 inches from mid hinge to mid bill & an annual growth ring, 1 bushel
• Sea scallop: No size limit, 1 bushel
• Surfclam: 3 inches or 4 inches in the Atlantic Ocean for use as food, 1 bushel
• Ocean quahog: No size limit, 1 bushel

*The total daily harvest of clams, blue mussels, and oysters may not exceed one bushel (combined total volume) for recreational purposes. 

To commercially harvest shellfish in New York, you must apply for a Shellfish Digger Permit and/or additional permits depending on the method and species harvested.  

Marine Permit Office Update

DEC’s Marine Permit Office continues to operate with reduced staffing levels. We encourage customers to submit applications by mail, send us an email with questions, or call to make an appointment for curbside service. 

For permit information and electronic applications, visit Marine Permits and Licenses or contact the Marine Permit Office at MPO@dec.ny.gov or by calling (631) 444-0470.