Citing recent water quality surveys, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos today announced regulations that will close approximately 1,270 acres across several shellfishing areas in Nassau and Suffolk counties. The affected areas in five Long Island towns will now be closed during part or all of the year.
In addition, DEC will reopen approximately 1,170 acres in five embayments in Nassau and Suffolk counties. The affected areas, in two towns, will be reopened to shellfishing during all or part of the year or have existing seasonal openings extended by several weeks.
The areas being affected by the new closures are:
1,100 acres in Hempstead Bay (town of Hempstead) will be seasonally closed from November 1 through April 30, annually;
98 acres in West Creek, a tributary of Great Peconic Bay (town of Southold), will be closed year-round;
• 44 acres in Orient Harbor and Oyster Ponds (town of Southold) will initially be closed seasonally, from May 15 through October 31, annually;
24 acres in Northwest Harbor (adjacent to the town of East Hampton) will be closed year-round;
Eight acres in outer Hempstead Harbor (adjacent the Town of Oyster Bay) will be closed year-round;
Three acres in Cold Spring Pond (town of Southampton) will have the existing seasonal closure period extended by 60 days;
One acre in Devon Yacht Club, off Napeague Bay (town of East Hampton), will become uncertified year-round.
The areas affected by the new openings are:
850 previously closed acres in Hempstead Bay (town of Hempstead) will become seasonally open for harvest from May 1 through October 31, annually;
171 acres in Goose, Town, and Jockey creeks, tributaries of Southold Bay (town of Southold), will have their current seasonally open periods extended by 46