Effective immediately, The New York State, Department of Environmental Conservation, Shellfisheries Section is temporarily closing the following north and south shore areas noted below to the harvest of shellfish to protect public health.
Due to the extremely heavy rainfall and extraordinary amounts of stormwater runoff and localized street flooding associated with the rainfall event of July 9, 2021 which may result in conditions causing shellfish to be hazardous for use as food, The shellfish lands described below are designated as UNCERTIFIED effective immediately on July 9, 2021 and continuing until a determination is made that water quality in the affected areas meets the criteria for certified shellfish lands.
Accordingly, it is unlawful to harvest shellfish from the following areas:
1. Towns of Hempstead and Oyster Bay (south shore): All that area of Hempstead Bay, East Bay and South Oyster Bay, including tributaries.
2. Towns of Babylon and Islip: All that area of South Oyster Bay, Great South Bay and their tributaries lying westerly of the northbound span of the Robert Moses Causeway Bridges.
3. Town of North Hempstead: All that area of Hempstead Harbor and Long Island Sound lying southerly of a line extending northeasterly from Prospect Point to Matinecock Point.
4. Towns of Oyster Bay (north shore) and Huntington: All that area of Oyster Bay Harbor and Cold Spring Harbor lying south of a line extending easterly from Rocky Point to Whitewood Point.
5. Town of Huntington: All that area of Huntington Bay, Northport Bay, Lloyd Harbor, Centerport Harbor and Duck Island Harbor lying south of a line extending easterly from Lloyd Point to Eatons Neck Point.
6. Town of Smithtown: All that area of Stony Brook Harbor.
7. Town of Brookhaven: All that area of Port Jefferson Harbor.
Information about temporary closures and reopenings will be available on a recorded message available at: 631-444-0480 and the DEC website at: https://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/7765.html
You may also call the DEC-Bureau of Shellfisheries at 631-444-0492 during regular office hours M-F 8:30 to 4:45.