Mission
The softshell clam resource belongs to the people of the State of Maine. The Department of Marine Resources must ensure that municipalities assuming the responsibility of managing shellfish resources do so in a manner consistent with the state's goal of balancing the use and conservation of the resource. Towns manage their shellfish resources to the lower tide line (except for intertidal mussel harvest permits), by adopting and enforcing a town shellfish conservation ordinance.
The Marine Resource Scientists are responsible for helping municipalities with resource assessment and management of their shellfish ordinances. The Shellfish Program Coordinator manages the Municipal Shellfish warden eligibility and training program.
Staff Contact Information
- Mailing address:
Nearshore Marine Resources, DMR
P.O. Box 8
West Boothbay Harbor, ME 04575-0008 - Marine Resource Scientist Contact and Towns (PDF file, 1 page)
Municipal Shellfish Warden Application and Training
Municipal Shellfish Management Mini-Grant
Town Shellfish Ordinances, Permits & Intertidal Management Plans
- This link contains town Conservation Closure permits, Transplant permits, Shellfish Ordinances, Intertidal Management Plans, and coordinating maps.
News & Meetings
- Shellfish Advisory Council meeting and minutes information
- Regional Shellfish Meeting Summaries
- Subscribe here (free) to Maine DMR and Public Health news by e-mail or text on your choice of topics.
- Report to the Joint Standing Committee on LD 1452 Jan. 31, 2015 (PDF file, 14 pages)
- Stakeholder meeting for clam and worm industries presentation - LD1452 (MS Powerpoint file, 25 pages)
- Report on the One-day Green Crab Trapping Survey conducted on August 27 and 28, 2013 (PDF file, 8 pages)
Current shellfish closures
- Current areas closed to the taking of shellfish due to pollution with a legal description and map of each area
- Current biotoxin closures with a legal description and map of each area
- Up-to-date closure information is also available by calling the Maine Red Tide and Shellfish Sanitation Hotline at 1-800-232-4733 or 207-624-7727.
Other Information
- Statewide softshell clam landings provided to the Department by shellfish dealers
- For certification of clam rings, contact Weights and Measures at the Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry
- Intertidal mussel harvest guidance document and permit application
Program Laws and Regulations
The Nearshore Marine Resources program is governed by DMR Regulations Chapters 4 and 7, as well as in statute: Title 12, §6671: Municipal shellfish conservation programs.