DEC: 3 shellfishing areas on North Shore to be temporarily closed

The state said Thursday it will close three shellfishing areas on the North Shore of Long Island during the Labor Day weekend and into early next week as a preventive measure.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation said the closings are normal during busy holidays to protect public health from potentially contaminated shellfish caused by increased boating activity.

The DEC will designate the following areas as closed to the harvest of shellfish beginning at sunrise on Saturday and continuing through Wednesday:

• 445 acres in a section of Oyster Bay Harbor, Town of Oyster Bay
• 50 acres in the area known as the Sand Hole in the Town of Huntington
• 347 acres in northern Port Jefferson Harbor in Brookhaven Town, Suffolk County

Shellfish harvesting is expected to resume in these areas on Thursday, Sept. 8. If poor weather causes fewer boaters to visit these areas, the DEC said it may rescind the closure and reopen the areas to harvesting earlier.

A recorded message advising the public about temporary closures of any shellfishing areas in New York state is accessible 24 hours a day by calling 631-444-0480.