For Release: Wednesday, July 14, 2004

DEC Extends and Expands Shellfish Harvest Closure Areas

Closures in East End Towns Follow Two Days Of Extremely Heavy Rainfall

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today announced that it has expanded and extended the closures of several shellfish harvesting areas in eastern Suffolk County. 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: All of Sag Harbor, Noyac Creek, Cold Spring Pond, North Sea Harbor and their tributaries;
Town of Southold: All the shellfish lands within the Town of Southold lying west of Orient Point;
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 Wednesday, July 21, 2004. This action was taken to protect public health following the heavy rains and excessive stormwater runoff associated with the rain event that began on July 12 and continued through the late evening on Tuesday, July 13. Rainfall exceeded three inches in all the affected areas and passed six inches in some locations on both the north and south forks. The extraordinary volume of stormwater runoff increases the potential for 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.

04-85