The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has announced temporary shellfish closures across Long Island, including in East Hampton and Southampton Towns, due to the heavy rainfall and “extraordinary amounts of stormwater runoff and localized street flooding” on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The D.E.C. temporarily closes specific areas that exceed certain rainfall amounts to prevent the harvest of potentially contaminated shellfish and to protect public health.
As of Tuesday, all of Three Mile Harbor in East Hampton, and all of North Sea Harbor in Southampton, were closed to the harvesting of shellfish.
As of Wednesday, all of Sag Harbor Cove and its tributaries lying southerly and westerly of the bridge to North Haven were closed to shellfish harvesting. In Southampton, all of Quantuck Canal, Quantuck Bay, Quogue Canal, Shinnecock Bay, and Cold Spring Pond including their tributaries are closed, as are all of Red Creek Pond and Squires Pond.
On Shelter Island, all of West Neck Harbor and tributaries lying north of a line extending easterly from West Neck Point to Wards Point are also closed.
Emergency rainfall shellfish closures usually last between four and seven days, though a D.E.C. spokeswoman said on Thursday that any reopening is conditions-based. During closures, the D.E.C., working with bay constables and municipalities, collects and examines water samples from the affected areas. Closures will be rescinded once water quality meets certified area criteria and shellfish have adequate time to naturally cleanse themselves of potential pathogens.
The D.E.C.’s website offers maps and descriptions of all affected areas.
