- Division of Marine Fisheries
In December 2025, the Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) in collaboration with the Town of Sandwich’s Natural Resources Department, opened the waters of Scorton Harbor in East Sandwich to shellfishing for the first time in over 30 years. The area will be opened seasonally, allowing for the harvest of shellfish from December 1 through April 30 each year.
The result of several years of work collecting water samples, inspecting the shoreline for potential sources of pollution, and writing the reports required by the National Shellfish Sanitation Program, the opening of Scorton Harbor serves as a closing act for the recently retired former Shellfish Constable in Sandwich, Dave Deconto. Dave served as the Shellfish Constable and Director of Sandwich’s Natural Resource Department from 2017 to 2025. More recently, for the past four years, he has served as President of the Massachusetts Shellfish Officers Association (MSOA). In his roles as Shellfish Constable and MSOA President, Dave has worked closely with DMF on updating the State statutes that define the role of Shellfish Constables in Massachusetts and developing the curriculum for a planned Shellfish Constable Training Course to be offered at Cape Cod Community College in the 2026 Spring Semester. The reclassification and eventual opening of the flats in Scorton Harbor would not have been possible without Dave and his staff’s efforts.
While the scale of shellfish resources available for public access in Scorton Harbor is still uncertain, recent surveys completed by the Town of Sandwich indicate the presence of quahogs, blue mussels, and sub-legal softshell clams. In order to support seasonal shellfish harvest, the town plans to propagate the flats with quahogs in the future. Public access to the newly opened area will be available through Craven’s Landing, a property owned by DMF and intended to serve as public access to fishing and shellfishing. Hopefully, through propagation efforts and natural recruitment, the flats of Scorton Harbor will provide for many years of shellfishing opportunities for the residents of Sandwich. In the meantime, DMF staff will continue to monitor the water quality and assess the conditions around the Harbor to ensure that all shellfish harvested from the area are safe for human consumption.
Anyone hoping to shellfish in the Town of Sandwich must first acquire a valid Sandwich Shellfish Permit and follow all rules and regulations set by the town (refer to the Town of Sandwich’s Recreational Shellfish webpage). Individual shellfish growing area definition boundaries are mapped by DMF (refer to DMF’s Shellfish Classification Areas webpage).
By Terry O’Neil and Allison Myers, DMF Shellfish Program
