Governor Maura Healey today announced expanded access to shellfish harvesting in Plum Island Sound after extensive testing by the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) found significant improvements in water quality. The updated requirements are expected to cut rainfall-related closures by more than half in one of the most productive shellfish areas on the North Shore, giving more than 200 commercial shellfishers and hundreds of recreational shellfishers as many as 72 additional harvesting days each year.
Plum Island Sound includes some of the North Shore’s most productive shellfish areas in Newbury, Rowley and Ipswich. Historically, these areas have been closed to harvesting for an average of approximately 130 days each year because of rainfall. Under the updated requirements, most shellfish beds will remain open when the area receives less than one inch of rain, while closures following heavier rainfall will also be shortened.
“Shellfishing is an important part of the North Shore’s economy, culture and way of life, and we’ve been working to support our Massachusetts shellfishers and strengthen our working waterfronts,” said Governor Healey. “Because the water in Plum Island Sound is cleaner and the science says it’s safe, we can give more than 200 commercial shellfishers up to 72 more days a year to harvest. That means more certainty for their businesses, more local seafood on our tables and more support for a North Shore industry that has been part of these communities for generations.”
(MA Fish & Wildlife Image)
“The science shows how much water quality has improved across Plum Island Sound and gives us an opportunity to expand access for an industry that is important to our coastal communities,” said Energy & Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. “Shellfishers are an important part of our working waterfronts. These changes give them more opportunities to harvest while maintaining strong protections for public health.”
Shellfish are filter feeders, and they can quickly accumulate and concentrate pathogens and contaminants from the environment, which can pose hazards to public health. During heavy rain, stormwater can carry pollution from roads, parking lots, and buildings into waterways, creating potential public health risks. For that reason, some shellfish growing in areas are designated as “Conditionally Approved” areas and temporarily close when rainfall or other conditions could make shellfish unsafe to eat.
DMF establishes these closure requirements through sanitary surveys, which evaluate potential pollution sources and test water quality under a variety of conditions. Plum Island Sound has been subject to rainfall-based closures since the 1980s. While those requirements have been important for protecting public health, recent improvements in water quality prompted DMF to conduct additional testing to determine whether the closure criteria could safely be updated.
The results show rainfall closures can be significantly reduced in the majority of Plum Island Sound, known asN4 – Area A. That area will now remain open when there is less than one inch of rainfall. When rainfall reaches one inch or more, the closure period will be five days year-round, down from an eight-day closure during much of the year under the previous requirements.
Rainfall requirements will remain unchanged in certain tributaries, known as N4 – Area B, and areas classified as Prohibited will remain closed to shellfishing under all conditions.