DEC Closes More Areas to Shellfish Harvesting

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation  today announced that it has temporarily closed additional shellfish harvesting areas in the Town of Huntington due to the detection of a marine biotoxin.

This larger closure impacts approximately 7,500 acres, covering all the shellfishing lands in Lloyd Harbor, Coast Guard Cove and Huntington Bay lying south of a line extending northeast from Lloyd Neck Point to Eatons Neck Point. Last week, DEC closed all of Northport Bay, Centerport Harbor and Duck Island Harbor. These embayments are home to clams, mussels and oysters.

All recreational and commercial shellfishing in these areas is prohibited until further notice in an effort to protect public health. 

This action was taken after DEC determined that shellfish samples collected from all its monitoring stations in Huntington Bay and Northport Bay tested positive for saxitoxin, a marine biotoxin that causes paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP). The samples were tested as part of DEC's marine biotoxin monitoring program. In 2006, DEC implemented the first-ever closure of shellfish lands following the detection of biotoxins in shellfish in Northport Harbor. Closures also took place in 2008 and 2009.

DEC will reopen areas as soon as possible based on the results of laboratory analyses of shellfish and water samples that will be collected over the next few weeks. A taped message advising harvesters of the status of these shellfish areas may be heard by calling (631) 444-0480. The message will be updated during the course of the temporary closure.