ALL LANDS UNDER TOWN WATERS DISTURBED BY TAKING OF SHELLFISH MUST BE

RESTORED TO THE CONDITION THEY WERE IN PRIOR TO TAKING SHELLFISH.

This permit must be carried on your person while shellfishing.

PERMIT FEES:

Resident Non-Commercial - $5.00

Resident Commercial - $35.00

Jr. Resident Commercial (12 and 13 years old) - $17.50

Must have parent's signature and birth certificate

Temporary Resident - $10.00

Free Non-Commercial - Age 62 years - permanent resident or property owner

All persons 14 years of age and over must have a Shellfish Permit.

HALLOCKS BAY: For those individuals who shellfish in Hallocks Bay and cross State-owned property, you will receive a ticket from the Conservation Officer unless you have a Seasonal Access Permit. To obtain a Seasonal Access Permit you must send a copy of your Town Shellfish Permit or NYS Driver's License to: NYS DEC, Marine Habitat Protection Department, Building #40, SUNY, Stony Brook, NY 11790-2356. There is no charge for a Waterways Access Permit.

IT IS UNLAWFUL TO TRESPASS ON PRIVATE PROPERTY TO GAIN ACCESS TO TOWN WATERS.

OPEN AREAS

Corey Creek	Cedar Beach Creek
Haywaters Cove	West Creek
Pipes Creek	Dam Pond
Downs Creek	Wickhams Creek
Little Creek	Hallocks Bay (except Little Bay) Goose Creek
**Goose Creek - western portion seasonally closed effective 11/1/2000

CLOSED AREAS

Various Closed Dates

Gull Pond -April 1 to Dec. 14

Deephole Creek -May 1 to Nov. 30

Halls Creek -May 1 to Nov. 30

James Creek -May 1 to Nov. 30

Richmond Creek -April 1 to Oct. 31

April 15 -December 31

Town Creek

Jockey Creek

Beixedon Creek

May 15 -October 31

Sage Pond

Budd's Pond

Wickhams Creek (Near Cutchogue Harbor Marina)

Broadwaters Cove (Near Boo's Marina)

Orient Yacht Club (North Side)

May 1 - October 31

Little Bay (eastern end of Hallocks Bay)

TOTAL CLOSURE

Brushes Creek

Schoolhouse Creek

Goldsmith's Inlet

East Creek

Mudd Creek

CONDITIONAL OPENINGS- TO BE ANNOUNCED

Mattituck Creek

Narrow River

Town of Southold Shellfish Closures

Click to link to the NYSDEC website or call 631-444-0475 or 631-765-3912

AREAS AROUND MARINAS ARE CLOSED TO SHELLFISHING

SCALLOPS: To Be Announced

CLAMS:

Non-Commercial - 100 clams a day.

Commercial - 2000 hard clams by one person; not more than 4000 by two or more persons occupying the same boat.

Size: Hard clams: 1 inch in thickness.Soft or Steamer clams: 2 inches in the longest diameter.

Note: Churning by power may not be employed in the taking of soft clams on land below high-tide line in town waters.

OYSTERS:

Non-Commercial - 200 a day.

Commercial - 2000 a day by one person; 4000 a day by two or more persons occupying the same boat.

Oysters may be taken from September 1 through April 30. May not be taken from sunset to sunrise.

Size: Must be 3 inches from the hinge to the bill.

CRABS:

Non-Commercial - 1/2 bushel a day.

Size: Blue claw crabs must measure at least 5 inches from point to point of the upper shell. Female Blue Claw crabs shall not be from the waters of the Town of Southold.

Crab Pots - No individual may set more than one (1) crab pot and each crab pot and buoy shall have affixed thereto the individual's shellfish permit number.

MUSSELS:

Non-Commercial - 1 bushel a day.

Commercial -10 bushels a day by one person; 20 bushels a day by two or more persons occupying the same boat.

EELS:

Non-commercial - No more than five (5) eel pots. Pots must be identified with the shellfish permit number.

Commercial - No more than fifty (50) eel pots or traps per permittee. All pots must be identified with the shellfish permit number.

**NOTE** Junior Commercial License is half the regular commercial limit.

Please do not keep any female Crabs. To distinguish between male and female Crabs, examine their undersides. The female has a wide abdomen, resembling the Capitol Building. This is where they store their eggs. The males have a narrow, pencil-shaped flap on their abdomen, since they carry no eggs.