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Shellfish classification areas

The Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) classifies areas for shellfish harvest. Permit holders should review classification information prior to harvesting shellfish.

For the most current classification and closure information, harvesters should contact your local town shellfish constable.

DMF updates shellfish closure hotline for North Shore biotoxin closures and Conditionally Restricted area rainfall closures at (978) 282-0308, select option 3.

Growing area classification maps are for informational purposes only and do not reflect the current open or closed status of an area. 

Shellfish classification

Growing area classifications are assigned based on the results of sanitary surveys. The classification determines whether or not shellfish in the area can be harvested for human consumption. In Massachusetts, there are five classifications: 

APPROVED: Open to shellfish harvesting for direct human consumption subject to local rules and regulations. Closed only during major coast-wide events (e.g., hurricane, oil spill, red tide event).

CONDITIONALLY APPROVED: Closed some of the time due to rainfall or seasonally poor water quality or other predictable events. When open, it is treated as an Approved area. 

RESTRICTED: Contains a limited degree of contamination at all times. When open, shellfish can be relayed to a less contaminated area or harvested for depuration.

CONDITIONALLY RESTRICTED: Contains a limited degree of contamination at all times. Subject to intermittent pollution events and may close due poor water quality from rainfall events or season. When open, only commercial harvesting of soft shell clams for depuration is allowed.

PROHIBITED: Closed to the harvest of shellfish under all conditions, except the gathering of seeds for municipal propagation programs under a DMF permit.

Buzzards Bay

Code Growing Area Name PDF 
BB1 Westport South Coastal  BB1 - Westport South Coastal
BB2 Richmond Pond  BB2 - Richmond Pond
BB3 West Branch Westport River  BB3 - West Branch Westport River 
BB4 East Branch Westport River  BB4 - East Branch Westport River 
BB5 Little Beach Coastal  BB5 - Little Beach Coastal
BB6 Allens Pond  BB6 - Allens Pond 
BB7 Dartmouth Center Coastal  BB7 - Dartmouth Center Coastal 
BB8 Slocums River  BB8 - Slocums River 
BB9 Little River  BB9 - Little River 
BB10 Smith Neck South Coastal  BB10 - Smith Neck South Coastal 
BB11 Dartmouth East Coastal  BB11 - Dartmouth East Coastal 
BB12 Apponagansett Bay  BB12 - Apponagansett Bay 
BB13 Clark Cove  BB13 - Clark Cove 
BB14 New Bedford East Coastal  BB14 - New Bedford East Coastal 
BB15 New Bedford/Fairhaven Harbor  BB15 - New Bedford/Fairhaven Harbor 
BB16 Fairhaven South Coastal  BB16 - Fairhaven South Coastal 
BB17 West Island South  BB17 - West Island South 
BB18 West Island North  BB18 - West Island North 
BB19 West Island East Coastal  BB19 - West Island East Coastal 
BB20 Fairhaven East Coastal  BB20 - Fairhaven East Coastal 
BB21 Nasketucket Bay  BB21 - Nasketucket Bay 
BB22 Little Bay  BB22 - Little Bay 
BB23 Brandt Island Cove  BB23 - Brandt Island Cove 
BB24 Mattapoisett South Coastal  BB24 - Mattapoisett South Coastal 
BB25 Mattapoisett Harbor  BB25 - Mattapoisett Harbor 
BB26 Mattapoisett River  BB26 - Mattapoisett River 
BB27 Eel Pond  BB27 - Eel Pond 
BB28 North Buzzards Bay  BB28 - North Buzzards Bay 
BB29 Point Connett  BB29 - Point Connett 
BB30 Hiller Cove  BB30 - Hiller Cove 
BB31 Aucoot Cove  BB31 - Aucoot Cove 
BB32 Sippican Harbor  BB32 - Sippican Harbor 
BB33 Stony Point Dike  BB33 - Stony Point Dike 
BB34 Wings Cove  BB34 - Wings Cove 
BB35 Weweantic River  BB35 - Weweantic River 
BB36 Wareham River  BB36 - Wareham River 
BB37 Little Harbor/Bourne Cove  BB37 - Little Harbor/Bourne Cove 
BB38 Wings Neck North  BB38 - Wings Neck North 
BB39 Widow Cove  BB39 - Widow Cove 
BB40 Onset Bay  BB40 - Onset Bay 
BB41 Sunset Cove  BB41 - Sunset Cove 
BB42 East River System  BB42 - East River System 
BB43 Fisherman Cove  BB43 - Fisherman Cove 
BB44 Buttermilk Bay  BB44 - Buttermilk Bay 
BB45 Cape Cod Canal  BB45 - Cape Cod Canal 
BB46 Phinneys Harbor  BB46 - Phinneys Harbor 
BB47 Back River/Eel Pond  BB47 - Back River/Eel Pond 
BB48 Pocasset River  BB48 - Pocasset River 
BB49 Pocasset And Red Brook Harbors  BB49 - Pocasset And Red Brook Harbors 
BB50 Megansett Harbor  BB50 - Megansett Harbor 
BB51 North Falmouth Outer Harbor  BB51 - North Falmouth Outer Harbor 
BB52 Wild Harbor/Wild Harbor River  BB52 - Wild Harbor/Wild Harbor River 
BB53 Herring Brook  BB53 - Herring Brook 
BB54 West Falmouth Harbor  BB54 - West Falmouth Harbor 
BB55 Falmouth West Coastal  BB55 - Falmouth West Coastal 
BB56 Great Sippiwisset Marsh  BB56 - Great Sippiwisset Marsh 
BB57 Little Sippiwisset Marsh  BB57 - Little Sippiwisset Marsh 
BB58 Quissett Harbor  BB58 - Quissett Harbor 

Cape Cod Bay

Code Growing Area Name PDF 
CCB1  Herring Cove/Long Point  CCB1 - Herring Cove/Long Point 
CCB2  Hatches Harbor  CCB2 - Hatches Harbor 
CCB3  Provincetown Outer Harbor  CCB3 - Provincetown Outer Harbor 
CCB4  Provincetown Inner Harbor  CCB4 - Provincetown Inner Harbor 
CCB5  The Breakwater  CCB5 - The Breakwater 
CCB6  Truro West Coastal  CCB6 - Truro West Coastal 
CCB7  Pamet River  CCB7 - Pamet River 
CCB8  Wellfleet West Coastal  CCB8 - Wellfleet West Coastal 
CCB9  Eastham West Coastal  CCB9 - Eastham West Coastal 
CCB10  Hatches Creek  CCB10 - Hatches Creek 
CCB11  Wellfleet Harbor  CCB11 - Wellfleet Harbor 
CCB12  Herring River  CCB12 - Herring River 
CCB13  Wellfleet Inner Harbor  CCB13 - Wellfleet Inner Harbor 
CCB14  Loagy Bay  CCB14 - Loagy Bay 
CCB15  Herring River  CCB15 - Herring River 
CCB16  Boat Meadow River  CCB16 - Boat Meadow River 
CCB17  Orleans North Coastal  CCB17 - Orleans North Coastal 
CCB18  Rock Harbor  CCB18 - Rock Harbor 
CCB19  Little Namskaket Creek  CCB19 - Little Namskaket Creek 
CCB20  Brewster North Coastal  CCB20 - Brewster North Coastal 
CCB21  Namskaket Creek  CCB21 - Namskaket Creek 
CCB22  Stony Brook  CCB22 - Stony Brook 
CCB23  Dennis North Coastal  CCB23 - Dennis North Coastal 
CCB24  Quivett Creek  CCB24 - Quivett Creek 
CCB25  Sesuit Harbor  CCB25 - Sesuit Harbor 
CCB26  Yarmouth North Coastal  CCB26 - Yarmouth North Coastal 
CCB27  Chase Garden Creek  CCB27 - Chase Garden Creek 
CCB28  Bass Creek & Lone Tree Creek  CCB28 - Bass Creek 
CCB29  Mill Creek & Short Wharf Creek  CCB29 - Mill Creek 
CCB30  Barnstable North Coastal  CCB30 - Barnstable North Coastal 
CCB31  Barnstable Harbor  CCB31 - Barnstable Harbor 
CCB32  Barnstable Inner Harbor  CCB32 - Barnstable Inner Harbor 
CCB33  Barnstable Marshes  CCB33 - Barnstable Marshes 
CCB34  Scorton Creek  CCB34 - Scorton Creek 
CCB35  Sandwich North Coastal  CCB35 - Sandwich North Coastal 
CCB36  Scorton Harbor  CCB36 - Scorton Harbor 
CCB37  Sandwich Harbor  CCB37 - Sandwich Harbor 
CCB38  Bourne North Coastal  CCB38 - Bourne North Coastal 
CCB39  Plymouth South Coastal  CCB39 - Plymouth South Coastal 
CCB40  Ellisville Harbor  CCB40 - Ellisville Harbor 
CCB41  Plymouth North Coastal  CCB41 - Plymouth North Coastal 
CCB42  Plymouth Harbor  CCB42 - Plymouth Harbor 
CCB43  Kingston Bay  CCB43 - Kingston Bay 
CCB44  Jones River  CCB44 - Jones River 
CCB45  Duxbury Bay  CCB45 - Duxbury Bay 
CCB46  Bluefish River  CCB46 - Bluefish River 
CCB47  Back River  CCB47 - Back River 
CCB48  Cape Cod Bay  CCB48 - Cape Cod Bay 

Elizabethan Islands

Code Growing Area Name PDF 
E1 Naushon Island West Coastal E1 - Naushon Island West Coastal 
E2 Hadleys Harbor E2 - Hadleys Harbor 
E3 Northwest Gutter E3 - Northwest Gutter 
E4 Gosnold West Coastal E4 - Gosnold West Coastal 
E5 Robinsons Hole E5 - Robinsons Hole 
E6 Quicks Hole E6 - Quicks Hole 
E7 Quicks Hole Pond E7 - Quicks Hole Pond 
E8 Cuttyhunk Harbor E8 - Cuttyhunk Harbor 
E9 Cuttyhunk Pond E9 - Cuttyhunk Pond 
E10 Westend Pond E10 - Westend Pond 
E11 Gosnold East Coastal E11 - Gosnold East Coastal 
E12 Naushon East Coastal E12 - Naushon East Coastal 
E13 Tarpaulin Cove E13 - Tarpaulin Cove 
E14 Lackeys Bay E14 - Lackeys Bay 

Greater Boston Harbor

Code Growing Area Name PDF 
GBH1  Outer Hull Bay GBH1 - Outer Hull Bay
GBH2  Quincy Bay  GBH2 - Quincy Bay 
GBH3  Neponset River & Dorchester Bay  GBH3 - Neponset River 
GBH4  Boston Inner Harbor  GBH4 - Boston Inner Harbor 
GBH5  North Boston Harbor  GBH5 - North Boston Harbor 
GBH6  Boston Outer Harbor  GBH6 - Boston Outer Harbor 
GBH7 Weir River and Hingham Harbor GBH7 - Weir River and Hingham Harbor
GBH8 Weymouth Back River GBH8 - Weymouth Back River
GBH9 Weymouth Fore River GBH9 - Weymouth Fore River

Massachusetts Bay

Code Growing Area Name PDF 
MB1  Duxbury Beach  MB1 - Duxbury Beach 
MB2  Marshfield East Coastal  MB2 - Marshfield East Coastal 
MB3  Green Harbor  MB3 - Green Harbor 
MB4  Scituate South Coastal  MB4 - Scituate South Coastal 
MB5  North River  MB5 - North River 
MB6  South River  MB6 - South River 
MB7  Scituate Harbor  MB7 - Scituate Harbor 
MB8  Scituate North Coastal  MB8 - Scituate North Coastal 
MB9  Cohasset North Coastal  MB9 - Cohasset North Coastal 
MB10  Cohasset Harbor  MB10 - Cohasset Harbor 
MB11  Little Harbor  MB11 - Little Harbor 
MB12  Nantasket Beach  MB12 - Nantasket Beach 
MB13  Outer Boston Harbor Islands  MB13 - Outer Boston Harbor Islands 
MB14  Massachusetts Bay  MB14 - Massachusetts Bay 

Mount Hope Bay

Code Growing Area Name PDF
MHB1  Mount Hope Bay  MHB1 - Mount Hope Bay 
MHB2  Taunton River  MHB2 - Taunton River 
MHB3  Lee River  MHB3 - Lee River 
MHB4  Cole River  MHB4 - Cole River 
MHB5  Palmer River  MHB5 - Palmer River 

North Shore

Code Growing Area Name PDF 
N1  Salisbury Beach  N1 - Salisbury Beach 
N2  Merrimack River  N2 - Merrimack River 
N3  Plum Island  N3 - Plum Island 
N4  Plum Island Sound  N4 - Plum Island Sound 
N5  Ipswich River  N5 - Ipswich River 
N6  Cranes Beach  N6 - Cranes Beach 
N7  Essex Bay  N7 - Essex Bay 
N8  Coffins Beach  N8 - Coffins Beach 
N9  Annisquam River Gloucester Harbor  N9 - Annisquam River Gloucester Harbor 
N10  Outer North Gloucester  N10 - Outer North Gloucester 
N11  Rockport  N11 - Rockport 
N12  Good Harbor Beach  N12 - Good Harbor Beach 
N13  Eastern Point  N13 - Eastern Point 
N14  Magnolia  N14 - Magnolia 
N15  Manchester  N15 - Manchester 
N16  Beverly  N16 - Beverly 
N17  Danvers River  N17 - Danvers River 
N18  Salem Harbor  N18 - Salem Harbor 
N19  Folger/Peaches Point  N19 - Folger/Peaches Point 
N20  Marblehead Harbor  N20 - Marblehead Harbor 
N21  Marblehead  N21 - Marblehead 
N22  Swampscott  N22 - Swampscott 
N23  Lynn  N23 - Lynn 
N24  Nahant Bay  N24 - Nahant Bay 
N25  Nahant Harbor  N25 - Nahant Harbor 
N26  Lynn Hbr and Saugus/Pines Rivers  N26 - Lynn Hbr and Saugus/Pines Rivers 
N27  Winthrop Beach  N27 - Winthrop Beach 
N28  Deer Island  N28 - Deer Island 

Nantucket Sound

Code Growing Area Name PDF 
NS1  Nantucket Sound  NS1 - Nantucket Sound

Nantucket

Code Growing Area Name PDF 
NT1  Nantucket Northeast Coastal  NT1 - Nantucket Northeast Coastal 
NT2  Nantucket Harbor West  NT2 - Nantucket Harbor West 
NT3  Nantucket Harbor East  NT3 - Nantucket Harbor East 
NT4  Polpis Harbor  NT4 - Polpis Harbor 
NT5  Head Of The Harbor  NT5 - Head Of The Harbor 
NT6  Coskata Pond  NT6 - Coskata Pond 
NT7  Nantucket East Coastal  NT7 - Nantucket East Coastal 
NT8  Nantucket Southeast Coastal  NT8 - Nantucket Southeast Coastal 
NT9  Sesachacha Pond  NT9 - Sesachacha Pond 
NT10  Nantucket Southwest Coastal  NT10 - Nantucket Southwest Coastal 
NT11  Madaket Harbor  NT11 - Madaket Harbor 
NT12  Nantucket Northwest Coastal  NT12 - Nantucket Northwest Coastal 
NT13  Tuckernuck Island  NT13 - Tuckernuck Island 
NT14  Muskeget Island  NT14 - Muskeget Island 

Outer Cape Cod

Code Growing Area Name PDF 
OC1  Nauset Beach South Coastal  OC1 - Nauset Beach South Coastal 
OC2  Nauset Harbor  OC2 - Nauset Harbor 
OC3  Mill Pond  OC3 - Mill Pond 
OC4  Town Cove  OC4 - Town Cove 
OC5  Nauset Marsh  OC5 - Nauset Marsh 
OC6  Salt Pond  OC6 - Salt Pond 
OC7  Nauset Beach North Coastal  OC7 - Nauset Beach North Coastal 
OC8  Wellfleet East Coastal  OC8 - Wellfleet East Coastal 
OC9  Truro East Coastal  OC9 - Truro East Coastal 
OC10  Provincetown North Coastal  OC10 - Provincetown North Coastal 

South Cape Cod

Code Growing Area Name PDF 
SC1  Woods Hole West Coastal  SC1 - Woods Hole West Coastal 
SC2  Great Harbor  SC2 - Great Harbor 
SC3  Woods Hole Outer Harbor  SC3 - Woods Hole Outer Harbor 
SC4  Little Harbor  SC4 - Little Harbor 
SC5  South Falmouth Coastal  SC5 - South Falmouth Coastal 
SC6  Oyster Pond  SC6 - Oyster Pond 
SC7  Salt Pond  SC7 - Salt Pond 
SC8  East Falmouth Coastal  SC8 - East Falmouth Coastal 
SC9  Falmouth Inner Harbor  SC9 - Falmouth Inner Harbor 
SC10  Little Pond  SC10 - Little Pond 
SC11  Great Pond  SC11 - Great Pond 
SC12  Green Pond  SC12 - Green Pond 
SC13  Bournes Pond  SC13 - Bournes Pond 
SC14  Eel Pond  SC14 - Eel Pond 
SC15  Waquoit Bay  SC15 - Waquoit Bay 
SC16  Little and Great Rivers Complex  SC16 - Little and Great Rivers Complex 
SC17  Mashpee South Coastal  SC17 - Mashpee South Coastal 
SC18  Barnstable South Coastal  SC18 - Barnstable South Coastal 
SC19  Popponesset Bay  SC19 - Popponesset Bay 
SC20  Mashpee River and Shoestring Bay  SC20 - Mashpee River and Shoestring Bay 
SC21  Cotuit Bay  SC21 - Cotuit Bay 
SC22  West Bay  SC22 - West Bay 
SC23  North Bay  SC23 - North Bay 
SC24  East Bay and Centerville River  SC24 - East Bay and Centerville River 
SC25  Bumps River  SC25 - Bumps River 
SC26  Squaw Island  SC26 - Squaw Island 
SC27  Hyannis Harbor  SC27 - Hyannis Harbor 
SC28  Lewis Bay  SC28 - Lewis Bay 
SC29  Yarmouth South Coastal  SC29 - Yarmouth South Coastal 
SC30  Parkers River & Seine Pond  SC30 - Parkers River 
SC31  Lewis Pond  SC31 - Lewis Pond 
SC32  Dennis South Coastal  SC32 - Dennis South Coastal 
SC33  Bass River South  SC33 - Bass River South 
SC34  Bass River Center  SC34 - Bass River Center 
SC35  Bass River North  SC35 - Bass River North 
SC36  Swan Pond  SC36 - Swan Pond 
SC37  Harwich South Coastal  SC37 - Harwich South Coastal 
SC38  Herring River  SC38 - Herring River 
SC39  Allens Harbor  SC39 - Allens Harbor 
SC40  Wychmere Harbor  SC40 - Wychmere Harbor 
SC41  Saquatucket Harbor  SC41 - Saquatucket Harbor 
SC42  Chatham South Coastal  SC42 - Chatham South Coastal 
SC43  Red River  SC43 - Red River 
SC44  Mill Creek  SC44 - Mill Creek 
SC45  Taylors Pond  SC45 - Taylors Pond 
SC46  Bucks & Cockle Cove Creek  SC46 - Bucks 
SC47  Monomoy Island  SC47 - Monomoy Island 
SC48  Stage Harbor  SC48 - Stage Harbor 
SC49  Oyster Pond River  SC49 - Oyster Pond River 
SC50  Oyster Pond  SC50 - Oyster Pond 
SC51  Mitchell River and Mill Ponds  SC51 - Mitchell River and Mill Ponds 
SC52N  Chatham Harbor North SC52N - Chatham Harbor North 
SC52S  Chatham Harbor South SC52S - Chatham Harbor South 
SC53  Pleasant Bay  SC53 - Pleasant Bay 
SC54  Bassing Harbor  SC54 - Bassing Harbor 
SC55  Crows Pond  SC55 - Crows Pond 
SC56  Ryders Cove  SC56 - Ryders Cove 
SC57  Frostfish Cove  SC57 - Frostfish Cove 
SC58  Muddy Creek  SC58 - Muddy Creek 
SC59  Round Cove  SC59 - Round Cove 
SC60  Quanset Pond  SC60 - Quanset Pond 
SC61  Little Pleasant Bay  SC61 - Little Pleasant Bay 
SC62  Pochet Creek  SC62 - Pochet Creek 
SC63  Namequoit River  SC63 - Namequoit River 
SC64  Paw Wah Pond  SC64 - Paw Wah Pond 

Martha's Vineyard

Code Growing Area Name PDF 
V1  Menemsha Bight  V1 - Menemsha Bight 
V2  Menemsha Inlet and Pond  V2 - Menemsha Inlet and Pond 
V3  Nashaquitsa and Stonewall Pond  V3 - Nashaquitsa and Stonewall Pond 
V4  Chilmark North Coastal  V4 - Chilmark North Coastal 
V5  West Tisbury North Coastal  V5 - West Tisbury North Coastal 
V6  James Pond  V6 - James Pond 
V7  Tisbury North Coastal  V7 - Tisbury North Coastal 
V8  Lake Tashmoo  V8 - Lake Tashmoo 
V9  Oak Bluffs North Coastal  V9 - Oak Bluffs North Coastal 
V10  Vineyard Haven Harbor  V10 - Vineyard Haven Harbor 
V11  Lagoon Pond  V11 - Lagoon Pond 
V12  Edgartown North Coastal  V12 - Edgartown North Coastal 
V13  Edgartown Outer Harbor  V13 - Edgartown Outer Harbor 
V14  Oak Bluffs Harbor  V14 - Oak Bluffs Harbor 
V15  Farm Pond  V15 - Hamlin Pond and Farm Pond 
V16  Sengekontacket Pond  V16 - Sengekontacket Pond 
V17  Eel Pond  V17 - Eel Pond 
V18  Chappaquiddick Beach  V18 - Chappaquiddick Beach 
V19  Edgartown Inner Harbor  V19 - Edgartown Inner Harbor 
V20  Katama Bay  V20 - Katama Bay 
V21  Cape Poge Bay  V21 - Cape Poge Bay 
V22  Pocha Pond  V22 - Pocha Pond 
V23  Edgartown East Coastal  V23 - Edgartown East Coastal 
V24  Edgartown South Coastal  V24 - Edgartown South Coastal 
V25  Crackatuxet Cove  V25 - Crackatuxet Cove 
V26  Edgartown Great Pond  V26 - Edgartown Great Pond 
V27  Jobs Neck Pond  V27 - Jobs Neck Pond 
V28  Paqua Pond  V28 - Paqua Pond 
V29  Oyster Pond  V29 - Oyster Pond 
V30  Martha's Vineyard South Coastal  V30 - Martha's Vineyard South Coastal 
V31  Tisbury Great Pond  V31 - Tisbury Great Pond 
V32  Chilmark Pond  V32 - Chilmark Pond 
V33  Gay Head South Coastal  V33 - Gay Head South Coastal 
V34  Nomans Land  V34 - Nomans Land 
V35  Squibnocket Pond  V35 - Squibnocket Pond 
V36  Harthaven Harbor V36 - Harthaven Harbor 

Contact   for Shellfish classification areas

Online

DMF Staff Directory View 

Fax

(508) 990-0449

Address

836 S Rodney French Blvd, New Bedford, MA 02744

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