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 [phone], 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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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

Nantucket

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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

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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
OC9	Truro East Coastal	OC9 - Truro East Coastal
OC10	Provincetown North Coastal	OC10 - Provincetown North Coastal

South Cape Cod

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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
SC52	Chatham Harbor	SC52 - Chatham Harbor
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

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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