The state Department of Environmental Conservation will close three North Shore shellfishing areas for the Fourth of July holiday.
The areas are closed every year during busy holidays to protect public health from potentially contaminated shellfish associated with increased boating in shellfishing waters. Boaters are reminded to use pump-out facilities to help protect the waters.
The designated areas to be closed as of sunrise Friday are:
- 445 acres in a section of Oyster Bay Harbor, Oyster Bay
- 347 acres in northern Port Jefferson Harbor, Brookhaven
- 50 acres in the area known as the Sand Hole, Huntington
Shellfish harvesting is expected to resume in these areas on July 9. If poor weather causes fewer boaters to visit these areas, DEC may rescind the closure and reopen the areas to harvesting earlier.