Maine Red Tide and Shellfish Sanitation Hotline
1-800-232-4733 or 207-624-7727
See Bacterial (Pollution, Flood) Closures and PSP (Red Tide) Closures for more detailed information and maps.
Current hotline text
1-800-232-4733
207-624-7727
"This message was last updated on Saturday June 15, 2013 at 12:57 PM.
The DMR announces the following:
Area No. 500, Maine Coast Flood Closure: This notification reopens the Maine coast from Kelley Point (Jonesport) to Thornton Point (Cutler) and Cobscook Bay due to water quality meeting approved standards.
Automatic – Main Menu (52302; console phone only 10152302 then 1)
This system is provided to allow public access to recent changes in shellfish closures.
Details on closures can be obtained from the Bureau of Marine Patrol:
* Division I: N.H. border to the western shore of the St. George River: 633-9595.
* Division II: the eastern shore of the St. George River to the Canadian Border: 667-3373.
To access red tide closures, press 1; flood closure information, press 2; conditional areas press 3.
Press 9 to repeat these menu options.
Red Tide Closures (52303; console phone only 10152303 then 1)
Red tide closures are organized by species; for Soft Shell Clams, Oysters and Surf or Hen Clams, press 1; Mussels and Carnivorous Snails, press 2; Ocean Quahogs or Hard Clams, press 3; Whelks, press 4
Press 9 to repeat these menu options. Press 0 to return to the main menu.
1 – Soft Shell Clams, Surf or Hen Clams, and Oysters (52308):
There is a closure for European oysters from the Maine/NH border to the US/Canadian border, with exception areas scattered along the coast. Please refer to red tide closures # 64-A, 64-B, 100-A and 100-B on our red tide closure website for more information about exception area boundaries. There is a closure for surf clams from the Maine/NH border to Stockton Springs/Deer Isle/Stonington. Please refer to the red tide closures # 100-A and 100-B on our red tide closure website for more information about the closure boundaries. The area north of Bucknam Head (Eastport) to the Canadian border is closed to the harvest of all clams.
2 – Mussels and Carnivorous Snails (52309):
There is a current closure for mussels from the Maine/NH border to the US/Canadian border, with exception areas scattered along the coast. Please refer to red tide closures # 64-A, 64-B, 100-A and 100-B on our red tide closure website for more information about exception area boundaries.
3 – Ocean Quahogs or Hard Clams (52310):
There are two closures for the harvest of ocean quahogs. The first closure extends from the Maine-New Hampshire border to Schoodic Point in Winter Harbor, and seaward to the limits of U.S. jurisdiction. The second closure extends from Schoodic Point, Winter Harbor to the Canadian border, and seaward to the limits of U.S. jurisdiction.
EXCEPTIONS: Ocean quahogs may be harvested east of a line beginning at the south tip of Schoodic Point (Winter Harbor) running true south to the limits of US jurisdiction; AND west of a line beginning the southern tip of Howard Pt (Machiasport) then running true south to the limits of US jurisdiction. Ocean quahogs may also be harvested east of a line beginning at the southwestern tip of Cross Island (Cutler) running true south to the limits of the Three Nautical Mile Line and west of a line beginning at the eastern tip of Cape Wash (Cutler) then running true south to the limits of the Three Nautical Mile Line. Ocean quahogs may not be harvested from one half hour after sunset to one half hour before sunrise. There is also an exception to allow wet storage of ocean quahogs by certified and permitted dealers.
4 Whelks (52311):
All Maine flats and waters located between the New Hampshire boundary and the Canadian boundary out to the jurisdiction of the United States are closed for the taking of whelks.
There is one EXCEPTION to this rule. The common Northern whelk (also known as the waved whelk) and the Stimpson’s whelk can be harvested in the waters of the State of Maine, except where there is a PSP closure in place for carnivorous snails.
Flood Closures (52304):
Area No. 500, Maine Coast Flood Closure: This notification reopens the Maine coast from Kelley Point (Jonesport) to Thornton Point (Cutler) and Cobscook Bay due to water quality meeting approved standards.
Rainfall, Sewage Treatment Plant and River Discharge Conditional Areas (52305):
The following list includes changes to the conditional areas which are currently closed for shellfish harvesting. This list was updated on June 12, 2013.
Area No. 11, Scarborough River: This notice resets the rainfall conditional areas on the Nonesuch and Scarborough Rivers due to greater than one inch of rainfall in a twenty-four hour period, effective June 11, 2013.
Area No. 14, Royal River, Cousins River, and vicinity (Falmouth to Freeport): This notice resets the rainfall conditional area on the Cousins River due to greater than one inch of rainfall in a twenty-four hour period.
Area No. 15, Harraseeket River and vicinity (Freeport): This notice closes the rainfall conditional area on the Harraseeket River due to greater than one inch of rainfall in a twenty-four hour period.
Area No. 26, Medomak River (Waldoboro, Bremen, and Friendship): This notice resets the closure for the rainfall conditional areas (B, C and D) on the Medomak River due to greater than one inch of rainfall in a twenty-four hour period. All rainfall conditional areas will REOPEN EFFECTIVE 00:01 HOURS JUNE 21, 2013.
Area No. 27, Upper St. George River and Tributaries (Warren to St. George): This notice closes the rainfall conditional areas (B and C) on the St George River due to greater than one inch of rainfall in a twenty-four hour period. All rainfall conditional areas will REOPEN- EFFECTIVE 00:01 HOURS, JUNE 21, 2013.
Area No. 55, Machias and East Machias Rivers, Machias Bay and vicinity (Machias, East Machias, Machiasport): This notice resets the closures for the Randall Point Flats and Sanborn Cove Conditionally Approved areas and the Sanborn Cove Conditionally Restricted areas due to a malfunction/CSO event of the Machias Wastewater Treatment Plant."
