Temporary Shellfish Closures in Suffolk and Nassau Counties

The extremely heavy rainfall and extraordinary amounts of stormwater runoff and localized street flooding associated with the rainfall event of October 2, 2022 and continuing through October 5, 2022, has resulted in conditions which may cause shellfish to be hazardous for use as food. To protect public health, DEC is temporarily closing the south shore areas noted below to the harvest of shellfish.

Towns of Hempstead, South Oyster Bay and Babylon: Effective October 4, 2022, all that area of Hempstead Bay, East Bay, and South Oyster Bay including their tributaries lying westerly of a line extending southerly from Amityville Creek Entrance Light “1” along the western edge of the Amityville Cut to State Boat Channel Light “29” then extending to the northeasternmost point of land on the western side of the entrance to West Gilgo Beach.

Town of Babylon: Effective on October 5, 2022, all that area of Great South Bay including its tributaries lying westerly of a line extending southerly from the southernmost point of land at Bergen Point to Fox Creek Channel Lighted Buoy “6”, then continuing from Fox Creek Channel Lighted Buoy “6” along the eastern side of Fox Creek Channel (known locally as the Lindenhurst Cut) to State Boat Channel Light “49”, and then extending southwesterly from State Boat Channel Light “49” to the northeasternmost point of land on the western side of the entrance to Garbage Cove (local name, local landmark).

Information about temporary closures and re-openings will be available on a recorded message available at: 631-444-0480 and on DEC's website. Contact DEC Bureau of Shellfisheries at 631-444-0492 during regular office hours M-F 8:00 to 4:00.