DEC Reopens Several Shellfishing Areas in Nassau and Suffolk Counties

Other Shellfish Beds Impacted by Last Week's Rains Remain Closed

ALBANY, NY (03/18/2010)(readMedia)-- The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today announced that it has reopened some shellfishing areas in Nassau County and Suffolk County that had been impacted by the runoff from heavy rains last week. Several bays and harbors in both Nassau and Suffolk counties remain closed to shellfishing.

The following areas were reopened today, March 18, and the harvest of shellfish is again permitted in the normally certified areas:

Town of Oyster Bay (north shore): All the normally certified shellfish lands in Oyster Bay Harbor and Cold Spring Harbor.

Town of Huntington: All the normally certified shellfish lands in Cold Spring Harbor, Lloyd Harbor, Centerport Harbor, Duck Island Harbor, Northport Bay and the southern portion of Huntington Bay.

Town of Smithtown and Brookhaven: All the normally certified shellfish lands in Stony Brook Harbor and its tributaries.

Town of Southampton: All the normally certified shellfish lands in Sag Harbor and outer Sag Harbor.

Town of East Hampton: All the normally certified shellfish lands in Sag Harbor, outer Sag Harbor and Northwest Harbor.

These and other areas had been temporarily designated as uncertified (closed) for shellfish harvesting in response to the extraordinary volume of stormwater runoff caused by locally heavy rainfall that affected Long Island last weekend, Friday March 12, throughout early Sunday, March 14. Rainfall was measured in excess of three (3) inches in all areas that were temporarily closed and exceeded five (5) inches in some portions of Nassau and Suffolk counties. When extraordinary volumes of stormwater runoff enters the creeks, coves, harbors and bays around Long Island it can cause shellfish in the affected areas to be hazardous for use as food.

DEC expects to re-open additional areas over the next few days based on the results of bacteriological analyses of water samples that were collected during the week. A recorded message advising harvesters of the status of these shellfishing areas may be heard at (631) 444-0480. The message provides more detailed descriptions of the re-opened areas and as well as the areas that remain closed. Additional information will be soon posted on the DEC website at: http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/7765.html .

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