For Release: Wednesday, September 29, 2004

DEC Closes Shellfishing Areas in Nassau and Suffolk

Closures Follow Extremely Heavy Rainfall From Remnants Of Hurricane Jeanne

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today announced that it has designated several shellfish harvesting areas in Nassau and Suffolk Counties as closed to shellfishing. These temporary emergency closures follow the excessive runoff from the extraordinary rainfall that occurred on September 28 and 29, 2004. This designation is effective immediately and remains in effect through Wednesday, October 6, 2004. The following areas are designated as uncertified and the harvest of shellfish is temporarily prohibited:

Towns of Hempstead and Oyster Bay (south shore): All shellfish lands in Hempstead Bay, East Bay and South Oyster Bay and their tributaries;
Town of Oyster Bay (north shore): All shellfish lands in Oyster Bay Harbor and southern Cold Spring Harbor;
Towns of Babylon and Islip: All shellfish lands in Great South Bay and its tributaries lying westerly of the Robert Moses Twin Causeway bridges;
Towns of Islip and Brookhaven (south shore): All shellfish lands in the northern portion of Great South Bay;
Town of Brookhaven (south shore): All shellfish lands in Bellport Bay, Moriches Bay and their tributaries;
Town of Brookhaven (north shore): All shellfish lands in Stony Brook Harbor, Flax Pond, Port Jefferson Harbor and Mount Sinai Harbor;
Town of Huntington: All shellfish lands in Northport Bay, Duck Island Harbor, Centerport Harbor, Lloyd Harbor; southern Huntington Bay, and southern Cold Spring Harbor;
Town of Smithtown: All shellfish lands in Stony Brook Harbor and its tributaries;
Towns of Riverhead and Southampton: All shellfish lands in Flanders Bay and its tributaries;
Town of Southampton: All shellfish lands in Moriches Bay, Shinnecock Bay, Flanders Bay, Cold Spring Pond, North Sea Harbor, Noyac Creeks, Sag Harbor, Red Creek Pond and Squire Pond;
Town of Southampton and East Hampton: All shellfish lands in Sag Harbor south of a line from the eastern end of Harbor Drive on North Haven peninsula to the northern tip of Barcelona Point;
Town of East Hampton: All shellfish lands in Three Mile Harbor, Hog Creek, Acabonac Harbor, Napeague Harbor, Montauk Harbor (Montauk Lake);
Town of Southold: All shellfish lands within the Town of Southold and the northern portion of Cutchogue Harbor;
Town of Shelter Island: All shellfish lands in the creeks, bays and harbors and their tributaries within the Town of Shelter Island.

This action was taken to protect public health following the heavy rains and excessive stormwater runoff associated with the extremely heavy rain event which occurred during the evening and early morning hours of September 28 and 29, 2004. Rainfall in all the affected areas exceeded three inches and more than four to seven inches were recorded in some locations. 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.

04-118