For Release: Friday, September 5, 2008

DEC Temporarily Closes Shellfishing Areas in All Nassau and Suffolk County Towns

Precautionary Shellfish Closures Due to Anticipated Rain from Tropical Storm Hannah

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today announced that it will designate all shellfish harvesting areas within all towns in Nassau and Suffolk Counties as temporarily closed to shellfishing. These temporary emergency closures will go into effect on Sunday, September 7, 2008 . The closures are a precautionary action due to the expectation of extraordinary amounts of storm water runoff caused by the heavy rainfall associated with Tropical Storm Hannah.

This precautionary action was taken to protect public health. An extraordinary volume of stormwater runoff carries bacteria and viruses which may cause shellfish in the affected areas to be hazardous for use as food.

The following areas will be designated as uncertified (closed) effective at sunrise on Sunday, Sept. 7, and the harvest of shellfish is temporarily prohibited through Saturday, Sept. 13, 2008:

Town of Hempstead: All shellfish lands within the Town of Hempstead.
Town of Oyster Bay: All shellfish lands within the Town of Oyster Bay Harbor, including all of South Oyster Bay, all of Oyster Bay Harbor and the southern portion of Cold Spring Harbor.
Town of Babylon: All that area of Great South Bay and its tributaries.
Town of Islip: All that area of Great South Bay and its tributaries.
Town of Brookhaven: All shellfish lands within the Town of Brookhaven, including all of Great South Bay, Patchogue Bay, Bellport Bay, Moriches Bay, Stony Brook Harbor, Flax Pond, Port Jefferson Harbor, Mount Sinai Harbor and their tributaries.
Town of Huntington: All shellfish lands within the Town of Huntington, including all of Northport Bay, Duck Island Harbor, Centerport Harbor, Lloyd Harbor; and, the southern portion of Huntington Bay and the southern portion of Cold Spring Harbor.
Town of Smithtown: All shellfish lands within the Town of Smithtown, including all of Stony Brook Harbor and its tributaries.
Town of Southampton: All shellfish lands within the Town of Southampton, including all of Flanders Bay, Red Creek Pond, Squire Pond, Cold Spring Pond, the Sebonac Creeks, Wooley Pond, Fresh Pond, North Sea Harbor, Noyac Creeks, Mill Pond), all that area of Sag Harbor and its tributaries AND; all that area of Moriches Bay, Quantuck Bay, Quantuck Canal and Shinnecock Bay and their tributaries.
Town of Southold: All the shellfish lands within the Town of Southold, including Fishers Island, and that portion of Cutchogue Harbor.
Town of Shelter Island: All shellfish lands within the Town of Shelter Island, including Coecles Harbor, West Neck Bay, West Neck Creek and West Neck Harbor.
Town of East Hampton: All shellfish lands within the Town of East Hampton, including all of Three Mile Harbor, Hog Creek, Acabonac Harbor, Montauk Harbor (Montauk Lake) and Sag Harbor.

After Tropical Storm Hannah passes the area, DEC's shellfisheries program will collect rainfall information from around Long Island. Areas affected by less than three (3) inches of rainfall will be reopened. Those areas affected by more than three inches of rainfall will remain closed and will be reopened based on DEC's examination of water samples that will be collected and examined beginning on Monday, Sept. 8.

DEC will reopen areas as soon as possible based on the results of bacteriological analyses of water samples that will be collected during the week. 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. Detailed descriptions of the areas affected by the temporary closures will be posted on the DEC website.