What is Bay & Shellfish Management?
The Environmental Control Department is responsible for the management of the area bays and shellfish. This includes the following:
  • Hard Clam Survey - an annual survey of the Town's 10,000 acres of underwater land used to determine the abundance and distribution of clams and their predators.

  • Spawner Sanctuary - an area stocked with clams at high densities with the hope of enhancing reproduction. To date, over 6,200 bushels of clams have been stocked.

  • Seed Clam Growout - Growout of one million 3-5 mm seed clams in rafts. Approximately 20 mm clams are broadcast into the bay. Over 25,000,000 clams have been introduced since the program's inception in 1978.

  • Conditional Shellfishing Program - Opening of normally closed shellfishing areas based on rainfall. Done in cooperation with the NYSDEC in order to provide more accessible and protected winter harvest grounds.

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1. What is Bay & Shellfish Management?