DEC: Most waters reopened to shellfishing

Most of Long Island waters closed to shellfishing after last weekend's heavy rains were reopened Friday, the state Department of Environmental Conservation said.

DEC had closed several harbors and bays on Monday as a precautionary measure until tests results could show the shellfish were safe to eat. Massive stormwater runoff can carry bacteria and viruses into the creeks, coves, harbors and bays and may cause shellfish in affected areas to be hazardous for use as food, state officials said.

Bacteriological analyses of water quality showed most areas are safe for harvesting, DEC said.

That opened up the normally or seasonally certified areas for shellfish harvesting in Oyster Bay Harbor; the southern portion of Cold Spring Harbor; only the seasonally certified section of Zachs Bay; South Oyster Bay but only within Oyster Bay Town; Great South Bay west of Nicoll Point; Mount Sinai Harbor; and Huntington Town's Lloyd Harbor, Northport Bay, Centerport Harbor, Duck Island Harbor, Huntington Bay and Cold Spring Harbor.

Other waters will be closed through Monday: Hempstead Harbor; northern Nicoll Bay, lying east of Nicoll Point; northern Patchogue Bay; and all of Bellport Bay.

Recorded advisories on the status of shellfishing areas is at 631-444-0480. For detailed descriptions of the closed areas, call DEC's East Setauket office at 631-444-0475 or go the shellfish closures page at dec.ny.gov/outdoor/35917.html.