The Division of Marine Fisheries has determined that molluscan shellfish from areas defined below no longer contain biotoxins (Paralytic Shellfish Poison-(PSP)) from the phytoplankton Alexandrium (spp.) in excess of established standards.  These areas remain closed to the harvesting of Moon snails Lunatia heros and Polinices duplicatus until further notice.

Therefore, under authority of Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 130, sections 74A and 75 and 322 CMR sections 7.01 (7), 7.02 and 10.00, the PSP closures for molluscan shellfish on June 26, 2008 in areas SC:47, NS:1, NS:2, OC:1, NT:7 and NT:8 as described below will be rescinded at sunrise on August 22, 2008.  Molluscan shellfish in areas currently classified as APPROVED and in the “open” status may now be harvested for direct human consumption subject to local rules and regulations under authority of Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 130, section 52.  All of the below-defined areas will remain closed to the harvesting of Moon snails Polinices duplicatus and Lunatia heros

AREAS OPEN TO THE HARVEST OF molluscan shellfish (harvesting of the carnivorous Moon snails Lunatia heros and Polinices duplicatus remains closed)  

 

MONOMOY ISLAND SC:47
  
            The waters and flats of that portion of Nantucket Sound in the Town of Chatham, easterly of a line drawn southwesterly [230 degrees true] from the west breakwater at the entrance to Stage Harbor in the Town of Chatham to the Barnstable County Line; westerly of a line drawn from the south end of Morris Island to the north tip of Monomoy Island; south of a line drawn across the Stage Harbor jetties; and westerly of a line drawn due south from Monomoy Point to the Barnstable County Line.
    

NANTUCKET SOUND NORTHEAST CENTER NS:1
   
            The waters and flats of that portion of Nantucket Sound northerly of the Loran C line 9960-Y-43900; southerly and westerly of the Barnstable County Line; easterly of the Loran C line 9960-W-14000.

  NANTUCKET SOUND SOUTHEAST CENTER NS:2    

            The waters and flats of that portion of Nantucket Sound southerly of the Loran C line 9960-Y-43900; westerly of the Barnstable County Line; easterly of the Loran C line 9960-W-14000; northerly of the Nantucket County Line and west of a line drawn across the entrance to Nantucket Sound from the southern tip of the Barnstable County Line to the northern tip of the Nantucket County Line.

NAUSET BEACH EAST COASTAL OC:1

The waters and flats of that portion of the Atlantic Ocean in the Towns of Chatham, Orleans and Eastham, easterly of a line drawn due south from the southern tip of Monomoy Island in the Town of Chatham to the Commonwealth's Territorial Boundary; southerly of a line drawn due east from the northern side of the entrance to Nauset Harbor in the Town of Eastham to the Commonwealth's Territorial Boundary; easterly of a line drawn across the entrance of Nauset Harbor and the east entrance to Chatham Harbor; southerly of a line drawn across the southern entrance to Chatham Harbor; and westerly of the Commonwealth's Territorial Boundary.

NANTUCKET EAST COASTAL NT:7

The waters and flats thereto of that portion of the Atlantic Ocean in the Town of Nantucket, easterly of a line drawn due north from Great Point to the Nantucket County Line; northerly of a line drawn due east from the entrance to Sesachacha Pond (when present) to the Nantucket County Line; and westerly of the Commonwealth's Territorial Boundary.

NANTUCKET SOUTHEAST COASTAL NT:8

The waters and flats thereto of that portion of the Atlantic  Ocean in the Town of Nantucket, easterly of a line drawn due south from Atlantic Avenue at Surfside to the Nantucket County Line; southerly of a line drawn due east from the entrance to Sesachacha Pond (when present) to the Nantucket County Line; and northerly of the Commonwealth's Territorial Boundary