For Release: Tuesday, July 13, 2004
DEC Closes Shellfishing Areas in East End Towns
Closures Follow Extremely Heavy Rainfall
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today announced that it has designated several shellfish harvesting areas in eastern Suffolk County as closed to shellfishing. The closures are a temporary emergency caused by excess runoff from the extraordinary rainfall that occurred on July 12 and 13, 2004. The following areas are designated as uncertified and the harvest of shellfish is temporarily prohibited:
Town of Southampton: Sag Harbor and its tributaries;
Town of Southold: The shellfish lands within the Town of Southold lying west of Cleves Point; and that portion of Cutchogue Harbor lying north of a line extending northeast from New Suffolk Point to the northernmost point of land at Horseshoe Cove;
Town of Shelter Island: The creeks, bays and harbors within the Town of Shelter Island;
Town of East Hampton: The shellfish lands within the Town of East Hampton including Sag Harbor and its tributaries, Three Mile Harbor, Hog Creek, Acabonac Harbor, Napeague Harbor and Montauk Harbor.
This designation is effective immediately and remains in effect through Tuesday, July 20, 2004. This action was taken to protect public health following the heavy rains and excessive stormwater runoff associated with the rain event of Monday, July 12 and Tuesday, July 13 that exceeded three inches in all the affected areas and passed four inches in some locations on both the northern and southern forks. The extraordinary volume of stormwater runoff 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 next several days. A taped message advising harvesters of the status of these shellfish areas may be heard at (631) 444-0480. The message will be updated during the course of the temporary closures.
04-83
