The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today announced that it has designated shellfish harvesting areas in Nassau County and Suffolk County as temporarily closed to shellfishing. These temporary emergency closures are in response to the extraordinary volume of storm water runoff caused by locally heavy rainfall that is affecting Long Island today and Monday, March 29 and 30, 2010.

The following areas have been designated as uncertified effective today, March 30, 2010 and the harvest of shellfish is temporarily prohibited through Tuesday, April 6.

• Town of Hempstead: All shellfish lands within the Town of Hempstead.
• Town of Oyster Bay: All shellfish lands in South Oyster Bay, Oyster Bay Harbor and Cold Spring Harbor.
• Town of Huntington: All 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 shellfish lands in Stony Brook Harbor and its tributaries.
• Town of Brookhaven: The northern portions of Great South Bay, Nicoll Bay, Patchogue Bay and all of Bellport Bay and their tributaries, and all of Moriches Bay.
• Town of Riverhead: All shellfish lands in Flanders Bay and its tributaries.
• Town of Southampton: All shellfish lands within the Town of Southampton, including: Moriches Bay, Quantuck Bay, Quantuck Canal, Shinnecock Bay, Sag Harbor, outer Sag Harbor, Flanders Bay, Cold Spring Pond, the Sebonac Creeks, Wooley Pond, Fresh Pond, North Sea Harbor, Red Creek Pond, Squire Pond, Noyac Creek and Mill Pond.
• Town of East Hampton: All shellfish lands within the Town of East Hampton, including: Three Mile Harbor, Hog Creek, Acabonac Harbor, Napeague Harbor, Montauk Harbor, Sag Harbor, outer Sag Harbor, and a portion of Northwest Harbor.
• Town of Shelter Island: All shellfish lands within the creeks, harbors and bay within the Town of Shelter Island.
• Town of Southold: All shellfish lands within the creeks, harbors and bays within the Town of Southold, including Fishers Island; and, a portion of Cutchogue Harbor and a portion of Southold Bay.

This precautionary action was taken to protect public health following the exceptionally heavy rainfall event that is currently affecting Long Island. Rainfall was measured in excess of three inches in all the affected areas and has exceeded four and five inches in some portions of Suffolk County. The extraordinary volume of stormwater runoff entering the creeks, coves, harbors and bays around Long Island may cause shellfish in the affected areas to be hazardous for use as food.

DEC will re-open areas as soon as possible based on the results of bacteriological analyses of water samples that will be collected during the week. A recorded message advising harvesters of the status of these shellfish areas may be heard at (631) 444-0480. If you would like a more detailed description of the closed areas please call the office during normal business hours at (631) 444-0475. The message will be updated during the course of the temporary closures.

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