DEC: 3 North Shore shellfishing areas to be closed over Labor Day weekend

Three North Shore shellfishing areas will be temporarily closed starting Saturday, the state Department of Environmental Conservation said.

The closures -- ordered each year at this time -- protect the public from potentially contaminated shellfish associated with increased boating activity over the Labor Day holiday weekend, the agency said.

The areas include 445 acres in a section of Oyster Bay Harbor; 50 acres in the cove known as the Sand Hole in the Village of Lloyd Harbor; and 347 acres in northern Port Jefferson Harbor in Brookhaven Town.

Boaters are urged to respect no-discharge zones in those areas and to use pump-out facilities.

The closure extends to Thursday, but the DEC said it could be lifted earlier if the number of boaters is lower than usual.

The state also routinely closes the areas to shellfish harvesting over the Fourth of July holiday.

A recorded message about temporary closures and the reopenings of any shellfishing areas in New York State is at 631-444-0480.