Storm Closes Shellfish Harvest at Long Island

NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has announced emergency temporary shellfish closures are in effect for areas of Nassau and Suffolk counties due to the extremely heavy rainfall and extraordinary amounts of stormwater runoff and localized street flooding on October 26th and October 27th.

DEC temporarily closes specific areas that exceed certain rainfall amounts to prevent the harvest of potentially contaminated shellfish and to protect public health.

Emergency rainfall shellfish closures usually last between four and seven days. During that time the DEC, working with bay constables and local municipalities, collects and examines water samples from the affected areas. The temporary closure will be rescinded once water quality meets certified area criteria and shellfish have adequate time to naturally cleanse themselves of potential pathogens.

Visit DEC’s website for maps and descriptions of the affected areas listed below.

Effective immediately on Wednesday, October 27th, 2021, the following areas are closed to the harvest of shellfish:

• Towns of Hempstead and Oyster Bay (south shore): All that area of Hempstead Bay, East Bay, and South Oyster Bay including their tributaries.
• Towns of Oyster Bay (north shore) and Huntington: All that area of Oyster Bay Harbor and Cold Spring Harbor lying southerly of a line extending easterly from the southernmost point of land at Plum Point to the north side of the West Neck Beach bathhouse.
• Towns of Babylon and Islip: All that area of South Oyster Bay, Great South Bay, and their tributaries lying northerly of Jones Beach Island and west of the northbound spans of the Robert Moses Causeway.
• Towns of Islip and Brookhaven (south shore): All that area of Great South Bay, Nicoll Bay, Patchogue Bay, Bellport Bay, and their tributaries lying westerly and northerly of a line extending northerly from the northernmost point of land of Captree Island at the base of the northbound span of the Robert Moses Causeway to Dickerson Channel Buoy “6”, then extending easterly from Dickerson Channel Buoy “6” to North Channel Buoy “4”, then continuing easterly from North Channel Buoy “4” through North Channel Buoys “6” and “8” to East Channel Buoy “28”, then continuing easterly from East Channel Buoy “28” through East Channel Buoys “32”, “34”, “35”, “36”, and “37” to Bellport Bay Buoy “1”, and continuing south easterly from Bellport Bay Buoy “1” to the flag pole at Bellport Beach.
• Town of Brookhaven (north shore): All that area of Mount Sinai Harbor.
• Towns of Brookhaven (south shore) and Southampton: All that area of Moriches Bay including tributaries.
• Town of Southampton: All that area of Quantuck Canal, Quantuck Bay, Quogue Canal, Shinnecock Bay, and Cold Spring Pond including their tributaries.
• Towns of Southampton and East Hampton: All that area of Sag Harbor Cove and its tributaries lying southerly and westerly of the NY Route 114 bridge.
• Town of Huntington: All that area of Huntington Bay, Northport Bay, Duck Island Harbor, Northport Harbor, Centerport Harbor, Huntington Harbor, and Lloyd Harbor lying southerly of a line extending easterly from the southernmost point of land at East Beach to the southernmost point of land at West Beach.
• Town of Southampton: All that area of Red Creek Pond and Squires Pond.
• Town of Shelter Island: All that area of West Neck Harbor and tributaries lying north of a line extending easterly from West Neck Point to Wards Point.
• Town of Southold: All tributaries, coves and harbors located on Fishers Island, including all that area of Silver Eel Pond and all that area of West Harbor lying southerly of a line extending southeasterly from the easternmost point of land at Hawks Nest Point to a flagpole located on the eastern shore of West Harbor on the property of Grey Gulls Estate.
• Town of Southold: All tributaries of Orient Harbor including Spring Pond, Dam Pond, Oyster Ponds Creek, and Hallock Bay.

Effective Tuesday, October 26th, 2021, the following areas were closed to the harvest of shellfish:

• Towns of North Hempstead and Oyster Bay (north shore): All that area of Hempstead Harbor and Long Island Sound lying southerly of a line extending northeasterly from Prospect Point to Matinecock Point.
• Towns of Smithtown and Brookhaven: All that area of Stony Brook Harbor.
• Town of Brookhaven: All that area of Port Jefferson Harbor.
• Town of Southold: All that area of Cutchogue Harbor lying north of a line extending northeast from New Suffolk Point to the northernmost point of land at Horseshoe Cove; and all tributaries of Hog Neck Bay and Little Peconic Bay lying between Nassau Point and Cedar Beach Point.
• Town of Riverhead and Southampton: All that area of Flanders Bay and its tributaries lying westerly of a line extending southwesterly from Miamogue Point to the northernmost point of Red Cedar Point.
• Town of Southampton: All that area of North Sea Harbor.
• Town of East Hampton: All that area of Three Mile Harbor.

Photo of shellfish harvesting courtesy DEC.